Apparatus for printing on an object having a curved surface

ABSTRACT

A printing module configured to print a label on a curved surface of an article includes an expandable printing mechanism configured to be expanded to an open configuration for receiving the article or contracted to a closed configuration placing the curved surface in an operative position with respect to a print head and an article moving assembly configured to grasp and hold the article and effect relative movement between the curved surface and the print head. The printing mechanism includes contact elements, such as rollers, that contact or otherwise engage the article when the printing mechanism is in the closed configuration and maintain the curved surface in the operative position with respect to the print head during relative movement between the curved surface and the print head.

CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation claiming the benefit under 35 U.S.C.§§ 120 of the filing date of non-provisional patent application Ser. No.15/971,660, filed May 4, 2018, which is a continuation ofnon-provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/669,378, filed Aug. 4,2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,464,360, which is a divisional ofnon-provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/919,467 filed Oct. 21,2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,724,948, which claims the benefit under 35U.S.C. § 119(e) of the filing date of provisional patent applicationSer. No. 62/066,468 filed Oct. 21, 2014, the disclosure which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for printing informationonto curved surfaces that may have dimensional and/or surfaceirregularities and/or other anomalies, such as injection-molded plastictest tubes.

BACKGROUND

In certain processes, such as, for example, manufacturing or analyticalor diagnostic testing processes, it is often necessary, or at leastdesirable, to identify an article or item undergoing a process and tomonitor the location and status of the article throughout the process.This may especially be the case in automated processes that involvemultiple steps performed at multiple locations throughout a system,e.g., an assembly line, a fabrication line, diagnostic instrument, or alaboratory. It is also not uncommon that one or more process stepsperformed may need to be varied for different articles and thus itbecomes necessary to not only track the location of the article but toalso communicate to different processing modules within the system theparticular step or steps to be performed on that particular article.

For example, in analytical or diagnostic chemical or biological tests,such as molecular diagnostic assays, the nature and/or source of asample to be tested and/or the specific test protocols to be followed intesting each sample must be monitored and tracked throughout the testingprocess.

In the case of chemical or biological testing, identification of thesample, e.g., the nature and/or source, including clinical, industrial,environmental, and food sources, of the sample, may be implemented bymeans of a label bearing identifying information placed on a containerthat holds a volume of sample from which aliquots of the sample aretaken for testing and/or a container within which one or more chemicalor biological reactions are to take place. Such identifying informationmay include human-readable (e.g., alphanumeric) information to be readby persons handling and processing the container. For containers thatare to be placed into a diagnostic instrument for subsequent automatedprocessing, it is may be advantageous to provide machine-readableinformation on the container. Such machine-readable information mayinclude a barcode (linear or 2-dimensional) that can be read by scannerswithin the instrument or laboratory and wherein the unique numbersequence that is encoded in the barcode is correlated with aninformation record, e.g., via a relational database, relating to thecontainer and/or its contents. For biological samples, the informationmay comprise the nature of the sample material, e.g., blood, urine,sputum, saliva, pus, mucous, cerebrospinal fluid, fecal matter, etc.,the source of the sample material, e.g., a patient name, and the test ortests to be performed on the sample material. As the container is beingprocessed within an instrument and/or a laboratory, data from thecontainer barcode is read by a barcode scanner, or reader, and dataencompassing (or otherwise containing) information derived from thebarcode data, as well as, optionally, data encompassing otherinformation associated with the barcode information, can be written toor retrieved from memory to be readable by a processing instrument.During or after the process, additional information may be added to therecord, including, for example, tests or processes to be performed, testresults and error codes, available volume in container, instrument IDs,and/or other tracking information, such as a complete history of allinstruments on which the container has been processed.

In one embodiment, the data of the container barcode constitutes anaddress in a database, e.g., a relational database, within whichinformation regarding the contents of the container is stored. Forexample, if the container holds a sample, the information contained inthe barcode data may be used to look up in a database informationregarding the sample, such as the nature of the sample (blood, urine,etc.), the identity of the patient, or other source, from which thesample was obtained, the date the sample was obtained, the test(s) orassay(s) to be performed on the sample, etc., or a combination thereof.On the other hand, if the container contains reagent or some otherprocess material, information contained in the barcode data may be usedto look up in a database information regarding the type of processmaterial, manufacturer, lot number, expiration date, storage conditions,history of use, volume, etc.

In some cases, empty containers may be provided that are pre-labeledwith unique identifying information, such as a barcode, and that uniqueidentifying information is later associated with information relating tothe sample that is placed into the container. The association may bemade by scanning the pre-applied barcode and associating the informationencoded in the barcode with information relating to the sample materialadded to—or to be added to—the container. In other instances, before orafter sample material is placed in an unlabled container, a label may beprinted for that container bearing a unique identifier that has beenassociated with information relating to the sample material placed inthe container. Such labels are typically printed onto adhesive-backedpaper, and a technician or other laboratory personnel will peel thelabel from its backing and place it on the container. Care must be takento ensure that the label is placed on the container at the correctorientation to enable the label code to be read by a scanner and toensure that the printed information on the label is not smudged orotherwise distorted, e.g., by a wrinkle in the label, in a manner thatwill interfere with subsequent reading of the label. Needless to say,care must also be taken to ensure that each label is placed on thecorrect container containing the sample material associated with theunique identifier on the label.

To avoid the need for laboratory personnel to peel labels from thebacking and to reduce the possibility of misapplied or unreadablelabels, it may be desirable to print the unique identifying informationdirectly onto an initially-blank label placed on the container. In thecase of machine-readable information, such as barcodes, the printedinformation must be sufficiently precise to enable the information to beaccurately read by barcode scanners. A poor quality print—e.g., faint,blurred, or fuzzy lines and edges or characters running together—willimpair the ability of a scanner to accurately read the informationprinted on the label. Typically, thermal printers, which produce animage by selectively heating coated thermo chromic paper, or thermalpaper, when the paper is passed over a thermal print head, are bestsuited for such applications because they are capable of clean, preciseprinting. In addition, in chemical or biological laboratoryapplications, as well as in specialized, e.g., clean room, fabrication,or assembly processes, thermal printers are advantageous over otherprinters that use inks or carbon-based toner powders because such inksor powders can be a source of contamination in the process. In addition,the lack of consumables, such as ink, ribbons, toner, etc. associatedwith other printers, improves the reliability of thermal printers oversuch other printers and makes thermal printers easier to use andmaintain as the necessary servicing of such non-existent consumables isavoided.

Precise printing with a thermal printer requires sufficient physical andthermal contact between the thermal print head and the thermal paperthroughout the printing process, which involves relative movementbetween the print head and the paper. Where the surface to be printed onis curved and/or is subject to imperfections or other surface anomalies,such as warpage, bumps, rippling, bowing, etc., maintaining such contactcan be extremely difficult, especially where the surface to be printedon is relatively hard and rigid. In conventional thermal printers, suchas point of sale printers, the print head contacts the thermal paper, asthe paper moves over a roller, that is typically made from anelastomeric material, such as rubber. As the surface of such a rollerwill be compliant, the print head can press the thermal paper againstthe roller surface, and the compliance of the roller surface facilitatesuniform contact between the print head and the paper. In addition,rollers for such printers can be made with tight tolerances so as tominimize dimensional variations and surface anomalies. On the otherhand, containers used in certain chemical or biological tests maycomprise generally cylindrical tubes made from an injection-moldedthermoplastic. Such tubes may be of a relatively small diameter, e.g.,0.5 inches, and thus the side wall of such tubes have a high degree ofcurvature. Moreover, by the very nature of the molding process whenarticles of this type are mass-produced, such tubes may have dimensionaltolerances that lead to concave and/or convex side wall portions thatcan create high points or low points or other surface imperfections andanomalies that inhibit good, uniform contact between the thermal printhead and the side wall of the tube.

Thus, a need exists for a device configured to print—especially thermalprint—information onto a curved surface that may include dimensionalinconsistencies and other inconsistent and unpredictable surfacevariations and anomalies.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure describes an apparatus for printing on a curved surfaceof an article. The apparatus comprises an expandable printing mechanismincluding a print head and is configured and controlled to beselectively (1) expanded to an open configuration for enabling anarticle having a curved surface on which information is to be printed tobe received within or removed from the apparatus, and (2) contracted toa printing configuration placing the curved surface of an articlereceived within the apparatus in operative position with respect to theprint head and maintaining the curved surface in an operative printingposition with respect to the print head during relative movement of thecurved surface with respect to the print head. The apparatus alsoincludes an article moving assembly configured and controlled to: (1)grasp an article received within the apparatus and effect relativemovement between the curved surface of the article and the print headwhen the expandable printing mechanism is in the printing configuration,and (2) release the article when the expandable printing mechanism is inthe open configuration, thereby allowing the article to be removed fromthe apparatus.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furthercomprises a housing at least partially enclosing the expandable printingmechanism and the article moving assembly.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furtherincludes an opening formed in the housing through which an articlehaving a curved surface on which information is to be printed can bereceived within or removed from the apparatus.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the expandable printingmechanism comprises a first support element having one or more contactelement(s) operatively supported thereon and a second support elementsupporting the print head thereon. The first support element and thesecond support element are configured for relative movement with respectto each other between the open configuration of the expandable printingmechanism and the printing configuration of the expandable printingmechanism. The contact element(s) are configured to contact an articlereceived within the apparatus to hold the curved surface in theoperative position with respect to the print head when the expandableprinting mechanism is in the printing configuration.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the one or more contactelements comprise a first roller and a second roller rotatably mountedto the first support element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furthercomprises an expander mechanism configured to effect relative movementof the first and second support elements between the open configurationand the printing configuration.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first roller isaxially elongated, and the second roller comprises, extending axiallyalong the length of the roller, a first head portion that is of a firstdiameter, an extension portion that is of a second diameter that is lessthan the first diameter, and a second head portion that is of a thirddiameter that is greater than the second diameter.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the third diameter isequal to the first diameter.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first roller iscylindrical.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first roller has avarying diameter that increases from each axial end of the roller to theaxial middle of the roller.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first supportelement comprises a roller bracket having an upper flange, a lowerflange, and a web extending between the upper and lower flanges, andwherein the first roller and the second roller are rotatably mountedbetween the first and second flanges. The second support elementcomprises a print head bracket having an upper flange, a lower flange,and a web extending between the upper and lower flanges. The rollerbracket and the print head bracket are oriented such that the webs ofthe roller bracket and the print head bracket are generally parallel toone another; and the roller bracket and the print head bracket arepivotably mounted to a common pivot shaft so that the roller bracket andthe print head bracket are pivotable with respect to each other in ahinge-wise fashion about the pivot shaft between the open configurationand the printing configuration.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first and secondsupport elements are pivotably mounted to a common pivot shaft so thatthe first and second support elements are pivotable with respect to eachother in a hinge-wise fashion about the pivot shaft between the openconfiguration and the printing configuration. The expander mechanismcomprises a driven shaft located between the first and second supportelements, the driven shaft being generally parallel to the pivot shaft,and a cam element attached to and rotatable with the driven shaft and incontact with both the first and second support elements. The cam elementhas a varying dimension so that in one orientation of the cam element,portions of the cam element contacting the first and second supportelements hold the first and second support elements apart by a firstdistance corresponding to the open configuration of the expandableprinting mechanism and in another orientation of the cam element,portions of the cam element contacting the first and second supportelements hold the first and second support elements apart by a seconddistance corresponding to the printing configuration of the expandableprinting mechanism.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the cam elementcomprises a cam disc fixed to the driven shaft and coaxial therewith.The cam disc has a variable radius so that in a first rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a first radiusare in contact with the first and second support elements and holdingthe first and second support elements apart by the first distancecorresponding to the open configuration, and in a second rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a secondradius that is smaller than the first radius are in contact with thefirst and second support elements and holding the first and secondsupport elements apart by the second distance corresponding to theprinting configuration.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the expander mechanismfurther comprises a spring extending between the first and the secondsupport elements and configured to bias the first and the second supportelements into contact with the cam element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, each of the first andsecond support elements further includes a roller bearing mountedthereon, wherein the cam element contacts the roller bearing of each ofthe first and second support elements.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furthercomprises a drive mechanism comprising a pulley wheel coaxially mountedto the driven shaft, a motor having an output shaft and a drive wheel,and a drive belt coupling the drive wheel to the pulley wheel.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the expander mechanismfurther comprises a rotational position sensor configured to detect arotational position of the driven shaft and cam element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the rotational positionsensor comprises an index wheel coaxially coupled to the driven shaftand having one or more detectable features formed therein or attachedthereto at specified rotational positions and an optical sensorconfigured to detect the one or more detectable features as the drivenshaft and the index wheel rotate with respect to the optical sensor.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furthercomprises a hand wheel mounted to the driven shaft and configured toenable manual rotation of the driven shaft and the cam element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the second supportelement comprises a print head platen on which the print head ismounted.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the print head platen isconfigured and mounted so that its position on the second supportelement can be laterally adjusted.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furthercomprises a platen shaft mounted to the second support element, whereinthe platen shaft extends through a portion of the print head platen, soas to permit lateral movement of the print head platen along the platenshaft.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furthercomprises a platen adjustment lever pivotably mounted to the secondsupport element and including a contact point in contact with a portionof the print head platen and configured such that pivoting movement ofthe platen adjustment lever effects lateral movement of the print headplaten along the platen shaft.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the platen adjustmentlever includes a protuberance that is configured to be inserted into oneof a plurality of holes formed in the second support element to securethe platen adjustment lever at a selected rotational position.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus furthercomprises a timing mark sensor configured to detect a timing mark on thecurved surface.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the article movingassembly comprises a carousel configured for powered rotation andmoveable gripper elements configured to be movable between a releaseposition permitting an article to be placed within or removed from theapparatus and a gripping position for securing the article with respectto the carousel so that the article rotates with the carousel.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, each gripper elementcomprises a gripper assembly that is coupled to the carousel and isconfigured so that rotation of the carousel in a first direction causesall the gripper assemblies to move radially inwardly to the grippingposition with respect to an article placed between the gripperassemblies and rotation of the carousel in a second direction oppositethe first direction causes all of the gripper assemblies to moveradially outwardly to the release position with respect to the article.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the apparatus comprisesthree gripper assemblies.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the carousel comprisesan upper disc and a lower disc, coaxially arranged with the upper disc,the upper and lower discs being rotatable relative to one another.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, each moveable gripperelement comprises a pivoting gripper assembly comprising a pivot armdisposed between the upper disc and the lower disc of the carousel andpivotably attached to the upper disc, a knurled wheel rotatably mountedabove the upper disc on a shaft extending from the pivot arm through theupper disc, and a guide pin extending from the pivot arm into anassociated guide slot formed in the lower disc.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, a first end of eachguide slot formed in the lower disc is closer to a radial center of thelower disc than a second end of the guide slot.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the article movingassembly further comprises a drive mechanism comprising a motor havingan output shaft and a drive wheel and a drive belt coupling the drivewheel to the carousel.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the carousel includesperipheral gear teeth for engagement by the drive belt.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the print head comprisesa thermal print head.

This disclosure also describes a method for printing on a curved surfaceof an article with a printing module configured to receive an articlehaving a curved surface, secure the article so that the curved surfaceis in an operative position with respect to a print head of the printingmodule, effect relative movement between the curved surface and theprint head while the print head is activated and while maintaining thecurved surface in the operative position with respect to the print head,thereby printing information onto the curved surface, and then releasethe article so that it may be removed from the printing module. Themethod comprises the steps of confirming that the printing module is inan open configuration for enabling the article having a curved surfaceto be placed within the module, inserting the article into the printingmodule, moving the curved surface with respect to the print head,detecting a timing mark on the curved surface, configuring the printingmodule into a printing configuration whereby the curved surface of thearticle placed within the printing module is in an operative positionwith respect to the print head of the printing module, activating theprint head, imparting an image onto the curved surface by moving thecurved surface with respect to the print head while the print head isactivated and maintaining the curved surface in the operative positionwith respect to the print head for a specified amount of relativemovement, after imparting the image onto the curved surface,deactivating the print head and terminating relative movement betweenthe curved surface and the print head, configuring the printing moduleinto the open configuration whereby the article can be removed from theprinting module, and removing the article from the printing module

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing mark isdetected with a timing mark sensor configured to detect a change in thereflectivity of a portion of the curved surface.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing mark sensorgenerates a waveform based on the reflectivity of a portion of thecurved surface, and wherein the timing mark is sensed by detecting achange in the waveform the exceeds a predefined threshold.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the step of imparting a timing mark modifier onto the curvedsurface to indicate that the article has been printed on.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises the step of, after detecting the timing mark, determining oneor more dimensions of the timing mark and comparing the determined oneor more dimensions of the timing mark to at least one predeterminedthreshold dimension.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises the step of, after configuring the printing module into theopen configuration, determining whether each determined dimension of theimage is within a predefined range of an expected dimension of theimage.

This disclosure also describes a method for printing on a curved surfaceof an article with a printing module. The method comprises the steps ofconfiguring the printing module in an open configuration to receive anarticle having a curved surface on which information is to be printed,placing an article into the printing module, configuring the printingmodule in a printing configuration and securing the article so that thecurved surface is in an operative position with respect to a print headof the printing module, activating the print head and effecting relativemovement between the curved surface and the print head while the printhead is activated and while maintaining the curved surface in theoperative position with respect to the print head, after printing animage onto the curved surface, configuring the printing module into anopen configuration enabling the article to be removed from the printingmodule, and removing the article from the printing module.

The disclosure also describes a system for processing a sample. Thesystem includes a sample transfer apparatus, a code reading device, acontroller, and a printing module. The sample transfer apparatus isconfigured to remove an amount of sample material from a first containerand dispense at least a portion of the removed sample material in asecond container. The code reading device is configured to read a firstmachine-readable graphic code on a surface of the first container, andthe first machine-readable graphic code has encoded therein informationrelating to the sample material contained in the first container. Thecontroller is configured to generate a second machine-readable graphiccode having encoded therein information relating to the informationencoded in the first machine-readable graphic code. The printing moduleis configured and controlled to print the second machine-readablegraphic code on a curved surface of the second container. The printingmodule comprises an expandable printing mechanism including a printhead. The expandable printing mechanism is configured and controlled tobe selectively (1) expanded to an open configuration for enabling thesecond container to be received within or removed from the printingmodule, and (2) contracted to a printing configuration placing thecurved surface of the second container in an operative printing positionwith respect to the print head and maintaining the curved surface in theoperative printing position with respect to the print head duringrelative movement of the curved surface with respect to the print head.The printing module further comprises a moving assembly configured andcontrolled to (1) grasp the received second container and effectrelative movement between the curved surface of the second container andthe print head when the expandable printing mechanism is in the printingconfiguration, and (2) release the article when the expandable printingmechanism is in the open configuration, thereby allowing the article tobe removed from the printing module.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the sample transferapparatus comprises a pipettor carried on a robotic arm.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system furthercomprises a pick-and-place mechanism configured and controlled toselectively move either or both of the first and second containers froma first location within the system to a second location within thesystem.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the pick-and-placemechanism comprises a container gripper carried on a robotic arm.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the printing modulefurther comprises a housing at least partially enclosing the expandableprinting mechanism and the moving assembly.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system furtherincludes an opening formed in the housing through which the secondcontainer can be moved into or out of the housing of the printingmodule.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the expandable printingmechanism comprises a first support element having one or more contactelement(s) operatively supported thereon and a second support elementsupporting the print head thereon. The first support element and thesecond support element are configured for relative movement with respectto each other between the open configuration of the expandable printingmechanism and the printing configuration of the expandable printingmechanism. The contact element(s) are configured to contact the secondcontainer received within the printing module to hold the curved surfacein the operative position with respect to the print head when theexpandable printing mechanism is in the printing configuration.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the one or more contactelements comprise a first roller and a second roller rotatably mountedto the first support element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the expandable printingmechanism further comprises an expander mechanism configured to effectrelative movement of the first and second support elements between theopen configuration and the printing configuration.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first roller isaxially elongated, and the second roller comprises, extending axiallyalong the length of the roller, a first head portion that is of a firstdiameter, an extension portion that is of a second diameter that is lessthan the first diameter, and a second head portion that is of a thirddiameter that is greater than the second diameter.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the second roller isconfigured so that the third diameter is equal to the first diameter.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first roller iscylindrical.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first roller has avarying diameter that increases from each axial end of the roller to theaxial middle of the roller.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first supportelement comprises a roller bracket having an upper flange, a lowerflange, and a web extending between the upper and lower flanges, andwherein the first roller and the second roller are rotatably mountedbetween the first and second flanges. The second support elementcomprises a print head bracket having an upper flange, a lower flange,and a web extending between the upper and lower flanges, the rollerbracket and the print head bracket being oriented such that the webs ofthe roller bracket and the print head bracket are generally parallel toone another. The roller bracket and the print head bracket are pivotablymounted to a common pivot shaft so that the roller bracket and the printhead bracket are pivotable with respect to each other in a hinge-wisefashion about the pivot shaft between the open configuration and theprinting configuration

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the first and secondsupport elements are pivotably mounted to a common pivot shaft so thatthe first and second support elements are pivotable with respect to eachother in a hinge-wise fashion about the pivot shaft between the openconfiguration and the printing configuration. The expander mechanismcomprises a driven shaft that is generally parallel to the pivot shaftand is located between the first and second support elements and a camelement attached to and rotatable with the driven shaft and in contactwith both the first and second support elements. The cam element has avarying dimension so that in one orientation of the cam element,portions of the cam element contacting the first and second supportelements hold the first and second support elements apart by a firstdistance corresponding to the open configuration of the expandableprinting mechanism and in another orientation of the cam element,portions of the cam element contacting the first and second supportelements hold the first and second support elements apart by a seconddistance corresponding to the printing configuration of the expandableprinting mechanism.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the cam elementcomprises a cam disc fixed to the driven shaft and coaxial therewith.The cam disc has a variable radius so that in a first rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a first radiusare in contact with the first and second support elements and holdingthe first and second support elements apart by the first distancecorresponding to the open configuration, and in a second rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a secondradius that is smaller than the first radius are in contact with thefirst and second support elements and holding the first and secondsupport elements apart by the second distance corresponding to theprinting configuration.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the expander mechanismfurther comprises a spring extending between the first and secondsupport elements and configured to bias the first and second supportelements into contact with the cam element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, each of the first andsecond support elements further includes a roller bearing mountedthereon, and the cam element contacts the roller bearing of each of thefirst and second support elements.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system furthercomprises a drive mechanism comprising a pulley wheel coaxially mountedto the driven shaft, a motor having an output shaft and a drive wheel,and a drive belt coupling the drive wheel to the pulley wheel.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the expander mechanismfurther comprises a rotational position sensor configured to detect arotational position of the driven shaft and cam element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the rotational positionsensor comprises an index wheel coaxially coupled to the driven shaftand having one or more detectable features formed therein or attachedthereto at specified rotational positions and an optical sensorconfigured to detect the one or more detectable features as the drivenshaft and the index wheel rotate with respect to the optical sensor.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system furthercomprises a hand wheel mounted to the driven shaft and configured toenable manual rotation of the driven shaft and the cam element.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the second supportelement comprises a print head platen on which the print head ismounted.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the print head platen isconfigured and mounted so that its position on the second supportelement can be laterally adjusted.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system furthercomprises a platen shaft mounted to the second support element, and theplaten shaft extends through a portion of the print head platen, so asto permit lateral movement of the print head platen along the platenshaft.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system furthercomprises a platen adjustment lever pivotably mounted to the secondsupport element and including a contact point in contact with a portionof the print head platen and configured such that pivoting movement theplaten adjustment lever effects lateral movement of the print headplaten along the platen shaft.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the platen adjustmentlever includes a protuberance that is configured to be inserted into oneof a plurality of holes formed in the second support element to securethe platen adjustment lever at a selected rotational position.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system furthercomprises a timing mark sensor configured to detect a timing mark on thecurved surface.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the moving assemblycomprises a carousel configured for powered rotation and moveablegripper elements configured to be movable between a release positionpermitting an article to be placed within or removed from the apparatusand a gripping position for securing the second container with respectto the carousel so that the article rotates with the carousel.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, each gripper elementcomprises a gripper assembly that is coupled to the carousel and isconfigured so that rotation of the carousel in a first direction causesall the gripper assemblies to move radially inwardly to the grippingposition with respect to the second container placed between the gripperassemblies and rotation of the carousel in a second direction oppositethe first direction causes all the gripper assemblies to move radiallyoutwardly to the release position with respect to the second container.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the system comprisesthree gripper assemblies.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the carousel comprisesan upper disc and a lower disc coaxially arranged with the upper disc,and the upper and lower discs are rotatable relative to one another.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, each moveable gripperelement comprises a pivoting gripper assembly comprising a pivot armdisposed between the upper disc and the lower disc of the carousel andpivotably attached to the upper disc, a knurled wheel rotatably mountedabove the upper disc on a shaft extending from the pivot arm through theupper disc, and a guide pin extending from the pivot arm into anassociated guide slot formed in the lower disc.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, a first end of eachguide slot formed in the lower disc is closer to a radial center of thelower disc than a second end of the guide slot.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the moving assemblyfurther comprises a drive mechanism comprising a motor having an outputshaft and a drive wheel and a drive belt coupling the drive wheel to thecarousel.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the carousel includesperipheral gear teach for engagement by the drive belt.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the print head comprisesa thermal print head.

Further aspects of the disclosure are embodied in a method forprocessing a sample material within a sample processing system. Themethod comprises, with a code reading device, automatically readingfirst machine-readable indicia on a surface of a first sample containercontaining a volume of a sample material. Information relating to thesample material contained in the first sample container is encoded inthe first machine-readable indicia. Second machine-readable indicia areautomatically applied on a curved surface of a second sample container.The second machine-readable indicia applied to the curved surfaceincludes indicia relating to the first machine-readable indicia readfrom the first sample container, and automatically applying the secondmachine-readable indicia on the curved surface comprises printing thesecond machine-readable indicia directly onto the curved surface with aprinting module. The printing module comprises a print head, one or morecontact elements configured to hold the second sample container withrespect to the print head so as to hold the curved surface in anoperative position with respect to the print head, and a moving assemblyconfigured to hold the second sample container and rotate the secondsample container so as to move the curved surface with respect to theprint head. With an automated substance transfer device, an amount ofsample material is automatically transferred from the first samplecontainer to the second sample container.

According to further aspects, the method further comprises the step ofmoving a second sample container from an input rack to the printingmodule with a robotic pick-and-place mechanism prior to applying secondmachine-readable indicia to the second sample container.

According to further aspects, the method further comprises the step ofmoving a second sample container from the printing module to a sampleprocessing station with a robotic pick-and-place mechanism afterapplying second machine-readable indicia to the second sample containerand prior to transferring an amount of sample material from the firstsample container to the second sample container.

According to further aspects, the method further comprises the step ofmoving the second sample container from the sample processing station toan output rack with the robotic pick-and-place mechanism aftertransferring an amount of sample material from the first samplecontainer to the second sample container.

According to further aspects, the first machine-readable indiciacomprise a first barcode and the second machine readable indiciacomprise a second barcode.

According to further aspects, the first and second barcodes are at leastpartially identical.

According to further aspects, the second sample container initiallyincludes a blank label and the second machine readable indicia areprinted onto the blank label.

According to further aspects, the print head is a thermal print head andthe curved surface comprises thermally sensitive print media.

According to further aspects, the information relating to the samplematerial comprises sample-identifying information.

According to further aspects, the information relating to the samplematerial comprises sample-identifying information, and the secondmachine-readable indicia applied onto the curved surface of the secondsample container are at least partially identical to the firstmachine-readable indicia on the first sample container.

According to further aspects, the second machine-readable indiciaapplied onto the curved surface of the second sample container includesadditional machine-readable indicia that are different from the firstmachine-readable indicia on the first sample container, and informationrelating to one or more of time, volume, sample type, reagents, testprocedures, test results, and errors is encoded in the additionalmachine-readable indicia.

Further aspects of the disclosure are embodied in a method forcontrolling a printing process by which a print head prints an imageonto predetermined printable area of a label. The method comprises thesteps of effecting relative movement between a timing mark sensor andthe label, while effecting the relative movement, detecting a positionof a timing mark with a timing mark sensor, after detecting the timingmark, effecting relative movement between the print head and the labelto position the print head at an image position at a specified distancefrom the position of the timing mark, activating the print head; andwhile activating the print head, effecting relative movement between theprint head and the label for a specified image distance to print theimage onto the printable area.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the image comprises abarcode.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the label is disposed ona curved surface of an article, and effecting relative movement betweenthe label and the timing mark sensor and between the label and the printhead comprises rotating the article with respect to the timing marksensor and the print head.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing mark sensoris configured to detect reflectivity of a surface passing before thetiming mark sensor, and detecting the timing mark comprises detectingthe reflectivity of portions of the label passing by the timing marksensor, wherein the reflectivity of the timing mark is different fromthe reflectivity of the remaining portions of the label passing by thetiming mark sensor.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises detecting the presence of the label before effecting relativemovement between the timing mark sensor and the label.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the presence of thelabel is detected by the timing mark sensor based on a change inreflectivity due to the presence of the label that exceeds apredetermined print-surface-present threshold.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises generating a waveform from the output of the timing marksensor based on the reflectivity of the portion of the label passing bythe timing mark sensor, and the timing mark is sensed by detecting achange in the waveform that exceeds a predefined timing mark threshold.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises detecting a first edge of the timing mark based on the changein the waveform falling below a negative timing mark threshold anddetecting a second edge of the timing mark based on the change in thewaveform rising above a positive timing mark threshold.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the waveform comprises aplurality of data points sequentially-recorded from the output of thetiming mark sensor and detecting a change in the waveform comprisescomparing a first waveform value for a current data point with a secondwaveform value for a data point recorded at a predefined period earlierthan the current data point to determine if the first waveform valuevaries from the second waveform value by more than the predefined timingmark threshold.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises the step of printing a timing mark modifier that is detectableby the timing mark sensor onto the label to indicate that the label hasbeen printed on.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, printing the timing markmodifier comprises printing an image that alters the timing mark in amanner that is detectable by the timing mark sensor.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, printing the timing markmodifier comprises printing an additional, mark distinct from the timingmark.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, effecting relativemovement between the print head and the label to position the print headat an image position at a specified distance from the position of thetiming mark comprises effecting relative movement between the print headand the label for a first predefined distance to place the print head ata print start position over the timing mark, and printing the timingmark modifier comprises activating the print head and effecting arelative movement between the print head and the label.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, printing the timing markmodifier comprises activating the print head and effecting a relativemovement between the print head and the label for a first period,terminating the first period when the timing mark is detected with thetiming mark sensor, and activating the print head and effecting arelative movement between the print head and the label for a secondperiod defined by a specified amount of relative movement between theprint head and the label.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, effecting relativemovement between the print head and the label to position the print headat an image position at a specified distance from the position of thetiming mark further comprises effecting relative movement between theprint head and the label for a third predefined distance without theprint head activated to create a print gap following the timing markmodifier, wherein after relative movement for the third predefineddistance, the print head is at the printable area.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, detecting the timingmark comprises locating a leading edge and a trailing edge of the timingmark relative to the direction of relative movement between the timingmark sensor and the label, and effecting relative movement between theprint head and the label to position the print head at an image positionat a specified distance from the position of the timing mark compriseseffecting relative movement between the print head and the label toposition the print head at the image position at the specified distancefrom the position of the trailing edge of the timing mark.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises the step of calibrating the luminance of the timing marksensor by setting the luminance of the timing mark sensor to a firstlevel that will cause the output of the timing mark sensor to exceed anupper output limit, and periodically changing the luminance of thetiming mark sensor while effecting relative movement between the timingmark sensor and the label until the output of the timing mark sensor isbetween a lower output limit and the upper output limit throughoutmovement of the sensor relative to the entire label.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises the step of determining the length of the timing mark andcomparing the determined length of the timing mark to an expected lengthof the timing mark.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises completing the steps only if the length of the timing mark iswithin a predetermined range of the expected length of the timing mark.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises the step of determining the length of the timing mark andcomparing the determined length of the timing mark to an expectedlength. Determining the length of the timing mark comprises computing afirst point on the waveform where the change in the waveform falls belowthe negative timing mark threshold, computing a second point on thewaveform where the change in the waveform rises above the negativetiming mark threshold, computing a third point on the waveform where thechange in the waveform rises above the positive timing mark threshold,computing a fourth point on the waveform where the change in thewaveform falls below the positive timing mark threshold, and computingthe length of the timing mark as the amount of relative movement betweenthe timing mark sensor and the label between a point bisecting the firstand second points and a point bisecting the third and fourth points.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the method furthercomprises, after printing the image onto the printable area, effectingrelative movement between the timing mark sensor and the label, whileeffecting the relative movement, detecting a position of the timing markon the label with the timing mark sensor, determining the amount ofrelative movement between the timing mark sensor and the label when thetiming mark is detected, and comparing the amount of relative movementdetected with an expected distance between an end of the image and thetiming mark.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing mark isdarker than its surroundings so that reflectivity of the timing mark isless than the reflectivity of its surroundings.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing mark islighter than its surroundings so that reflectivity of the timing mark isgreater than the reflectivity of its surroundings.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, printing a timing markmodifier comprises printing an extension to increase the length of thetiming mark.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing markcomprises a cut-out in the label.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing markcomprises one or more encoder ticks of a series of encoder ticks.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing markcomprises a physical feature formed on a surface of an article to whichthe label is affixed.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing markcomprises a 1-D or 2-D barcode.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing markcomprises a 1-D or 2-D barcode, and the printing the timing markmodifier comprises printing a 1-D or 2-D barcode.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing markcomprises a 2-D barcode, and detecting a position of the timing markcomprises identifying with a 2-D barcode reader a position of a knowncoordinate within the 2D barcode.

According to further aspects of the disclosure, the timing markcomprises a 1-D barcode, and detecting a position of the timing markcomprises identifying a leading edge of the 1D barcode as the firstlocation at which a 1-D barcode reader can read the 1-D barcode.

Further aspects of the disclosure are embodied in a method forcontrolling a printing process by which a print head prints an imageonto a label affixed to a tube positioned adjacent to the print head andadjacent to a sensor configured to detect optical and/or physicalfeatures of the label. The method comprises the steps of transmitting acommand to the sensor to detect the presence of the label affixed to thetube. The sensor either (1) fails to generate a signal indicating thepresence of the label, or (2) generates a signal indicating the presenceof the label. If the sensor generates a signal indicating the presenceof the label in, then a command is transmitted to the sensor to detect aposition of a timing mark on the label, wherein the sensor fails togenerate a signal indicating the position of a timing mark on the label.If the sensor fails to generate a signal indicating the presence of thelabel, or the sensor fails to generate a signal indicating the positionof a timing mark on the label, the print head is selectively activatedwhile effecting relative movement between the print head and the labelto print multiple alternate images at multiple positions on the label.

Further aspects of the disclosure are embodied in a method forcontrolling a printing process by which a print head prints an imageonto a label affixed to a tube positioned adjacent to the print head andadjacent to a sensor configured to detect optical and/or physicalfeatures of the label. A command is transmitted to the sensor to detectthe presence of the label affixed to the tube, wherein the sensor failsto generate a signal indicating the presence of the label. Upon failureby the sensor to generate a signal indicating the presence of the tube,then the print head is selectively activated while effecting relativemovement between the print head and the label to print multiplealternate images at multiple positions on the label.

Further aspects of the disclosure are embodied in a method forcontrolling a printing process by which a print head prints an imageonto a label affixed to a tube positioned adjacent to the print head andadjacent to a sensor configured to detect optical and/or physicalfeatures of the label. The presence of the label affixed to the tubewith the sensor is detected. After detecting the label, a command istransmitted to the sensor to detect a position of a timing mark on thelabel, wherein the sensor fails to generate a signal indicating theposition of a timing mark on the label. After failing to generate asignal indicating the position of the timing mark, the print head isselectively activated while effecting relative movement between theprint head and the label to print multiple alternate images at multiplepositions on the label.

Other features and characteristics of the subject matter of thisdisclosure, as well as the methods of operation, functions of relatedelements of structure and the combination of parts, and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing description and the appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thevarious figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form partof the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the subjectmatter of this disclosure. In the drawings, like reference numbersindicate identical or functionally similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a frontal, right-hand partial perspective view of a printingmodule.

FIG. 2 is a rear, right-hand partial perspective view of the printingmodule.

FIG. 3 is a frontal, right-hand partial perspective view of anexpandable printing mechanism isolated from the remaining components ofthe printing module.

FIG. 4 is frontal, left-hand partial perspective view of a bracketexpander, a roller bracket, rollers, and a pivot shaft of the expandableprinting mechanism, with a print head bracket of the expandable printingmechanism omitted from the drawing.

FIG. 5 is a frontal, left-hand partial perspective view of the rollerbracket, the rollers, and the pivot shaft of the expandable printingmechanism.

FIG. 5A is a frontal, left-hand partial perspective view of the rollerbracket, the rollers, and the pivot shaft of an alternate embodiment ofthe expandable printing mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a frontal, right-hand partial perspective view of the bracketexpander, a print head bracket, a print head assembly, and the pivotshaft of the of the expandable printing mechanism, with the rollerbracket of the expandable printing mechanism omitted from the drawing.

FIG. 7 is top plan view of a cam disc of a bracket expander of theexpandable printing mechanism.

FIG. 8 rear, right-hand partial perspective view of the print headbracket, the print head assembly, and the pivot shaft of the of theexpandable printing mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a right-side view of the print head bracket and print headassembly.

FIG. 10 is rear, right-hand perspective view of the print head bracketand the print head assembly.

FIG. 11 is a left-hand side view of the print head bracket.

FIG. 12 is a frontal, right-hand partial perspective view of a containerrotation assembly with a tubular container supported thereon andisolated from the remaining components of the printing module.

FIG. 13 is a top, exploded perspective view of a carousel of thecontainer rotation assembly.

FIG. 14 is a top partial perspective view of the carousel of thecontainer rotation assembly with a top disc omitted for the drawing.

FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of a pivoting gripper assembly of thecarousel of the container rotation assembly.

FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view of the carousel.

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of an upper disc of the carousel.

FIG. 18 is a bottom, partial perspective, cross-sectional view of thecarousel, a container supported thereon and a mounting frame of theprinting module.

FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 2.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a controlarchitecture of the printing module.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a control algorithm of the printingmodule.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view in longitudinal cross-section of acontainer on which information can be printed on an external surfacethereof by the printing module of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 is a side cross-sectional view of the container.

FIG. 24 is a bottom, perspective view of the container.

FIG. 25 is a bottom plan view of the container.

FIG. 26 is a side view in longitudinal cross-section of an alternativeembodiment of a container and further including a cap.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a sample processing instrument in whichthe printing module may be incorporated.

FIG. 28 is a flow chart showing a work flow for processing a sample withthe sample processing instrument.

FIG. 29 is a plan view of a printable label configured to be applied toan article to be printed on and including a pre-printed timing mark forlocating an image to be printed on the label and a timing mark modifierfor indicating that the label has been previously printed on.

FIG. 30 is a schematic, top view of a timing mark sensor, a print headand a tubular container.

FIG. 31 is a plot of an exemplary waveform from the timing mark sensoras the label passes by the sensor over one revolution of the tube priorto any printing being applied on the label.

FIG. 32 is a plot of a waveform from the timing mark sensor and a plotof a differential waveform as the timing mark passes before the timingmark sensor.

FIG. 33 is a plot illustrating steps of a printing process for printingan image and a timing mark modifier on the label.

FIG. 34 is a plan view of a printable label on which alternate imageshave been printed.

FIG. 35 is a plan view of a printable label including an alternateembodiment of a pre-printed timing mark and timing mark modifier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While aspects of the subject matter of the present disclosure may beembodied in a variety of forms, the following description andaccompanying drawings are merely intended to disclose some of theseforms as specific examples of the subject matter. Accordingly, thesubject matter of this disclosure is not intended to be limited to theforms or embodiments so described and illustrated.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms of art, notations and otherscientific terms or terminology used herein have the same meaning as iscommonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which thisdisclosure belongs. Many of the techniques and procedures described orreferenced herein are well understood and commonly employed usingconventional methodology by those skilled in the art. As appropriate,procedures involving the use of commercially available kits and reagentsare generally carried out in accordance with manufacturer definedprotocols and/or parameters unless otherwise noted.

All patents, applications, published applications and other publicationsreferred to herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. If adefinition set forth in this section is contrary to or otherwiseinconsistent with a definition set forth in the patents, applications,published applications, and other publications that are hereinincorporated by reference, the definition set forth in this sectionprevails over the definition that is incorporated herein by reference.

As used herein, “a” or “an” means “at least one” or “one or more.”

This description may use relative spatial and/or orientation terms indescribing the position and/or orientation of one component, apparatus,location, feature, or a portion thereof. Unless specifically stated, orotherwise dictated by the context of the description, such terms,including, without limitation, top, bottom, above, below, under, on topof, upper, lower, left of, right of, in front of, behind, next to,adjacent, between, horizontal, vertical, diagonal, longitudinal,transverse, etc., are used for convenience in referring to suchcomponent, apparatus, location, feature, or a portion thereof in thedrawings and are not intended to be limiting.

Printing Module

A printing module according to the present disclosure is generallyindicated by reference number 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. According to oneaspect of the disclosure, the printing module 10 is configured toreceive an article having a curved surface on which information is to beprinted, such as a tubular container 12, secure the article so that thecurved surface is in an operative position with respect to a print headof the printing module, effect relative movement between the curvedsurface and the print head while the print head is activated and whilemaintaining the curved surface in the operative position with respect tothe print head, thereby printing information onto the curved surface,and then release the article so that it may be removed from the printingmodule.

In the context of this description, the term “print head” comprises thatcomponent or portion of a printing mechanism that imparts an image ontoa surface, and the surface to be printed on is “in an operative positionwith respect to the print head,” or is “operatively engaged with theprint head,” when the print head and the surface are relativelypositioned and oriented so that the printing mechanism can impart anaccurate image onto an intended location on the surface. In oneembodiment, the print head comprises a thermal print head having thermalelements that are placed in contact or near contact to a surfacecomprising a thermal print medium, such as thermal paper, and areselectively heated during relative movement between the thermal printhead and the surface to cause selected portions of the surface to darkenin a predetermined pattern, thereby imparting an image to the surface.

The article having a curved surface may comprise a tubular container,such as container 12, e.g., a “test tube”, having a tubular, e.g.,generally cylindrical, shape and on which is placed a label on theexternal curved surface thereof onto which information is to be printed.In one embodiment, the curved surface to be printed on may comprise alabel formed from, for example, thermal paper media and secured to theexternal surface of the container 12 by adhesive or the like.

Exemplary tubular containers are described below.

In an exemplary embodiment of the printing module 10, as show in FIGS. 1and 2, the printing module 10 includes an expandable printing mechanism50 and an article moving assembly 260. The expandable printing mechanism50 includes a print head and is configured and controlled to beselectively expanded to an open configuration for enabling the articleto be received within or removed from the printing module or contractedto a closed, or printing, configuration placing the curved surface ofthe article in operative position with respect to the print head andmaintaining the curved surface in the operative printing position withrespect to the print head during relative movement of the curved surfacewith respect to the print head. The article moving assembly 260 isconfigured and controlled to grasp or otherwise operatively engage andhold the article and effect relative movement between the curved surfaceand the print head of the expandable printing mechanism 50 when theexpandable printing mechanism 50 is in the printing configuration and torelease the article when the expandable printing mechanism 50 is in theopen configuration, thereby allowing the article to be removed from theprinting module 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the article moving assembly 260 comprisesa container rotation assembly configured to grasp a container, e.g., atubular container such as container 12, that is operatively engaged withthe print head of the expandable printing mechanism 50, rotate thecontainer while the print head is activated to impart an image onto acurved surface of the container, and to release the container after theprinting is complete and the expandable printing mechanism is in theopen configuration to permit the container to be removed from theprinting module 10.

The expandable printing mechanism 50 and the article moving/containerrotation assembly 260 are supported and relatively positioned within themodule 10 on a mounting frame 20. In the illustrated embodiment, themounting frame 20 has a channel-like configuration comprising an upperhorizontal flange 22, a lower horizontal flange 26, and web 24 extendinggenerally vertically between an edge of the upper horizontal flange 22and an edge of the lower horizontal flange 26. The mounting frame 20 isformed from a material having adequate strength and rigidity and that issuitably machinable. The material is also preferably light weight.Aluminum is one example of a suitable material. In other examples, themounting frame 20 could be formed (e.g., stamped) from sheet metal,molded from plastic, or cast in metal.

Various electronics, generally indicated at reference number 40, may beassociated with the printing module 10, including, for example, aprinted circuit board and connectors for communicating power and/orsignals between the printing module 10 and external components such as apower source and a computer controller (described in more detail below).

The printing module 10 may be further enclosed within a housing (notshown), and the mounting frame 20 may be supported above a floor of thehousing on a plurality of stand-offs 42 extending between the floor ofthe housing and the lower horizontal flange 26 of the mounting frame 20(See FIG. 1).

Expandable Printing Mechanism

Continuing to refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as FIG. 3, in which theexpandable printing mechanism 50 is shown isolated from the mountingframe 20 and the container rotation assembly 260, the expandableprinting mechanism 50 includes two frame or support elements on whichvarious components of the expandable printing mechanism 50 are mountedand which are coupled together for hinge-wise relative movement betweenthe open configuration and the closed, or printing, configuration. Inthe illustrated embodiment, a first support element comprises a rollerbracket, generally indicated at reference number 52, and a secondsupport element comprises a print head bracket, generally indicated atreference number 100. The roller bracket 52 operatively supports contactelements, e.g., rollers, (exemplary embodiments are described in furtherdetail below) that contact or otherwise engage the article, (e.g.,container 12) when the expandable printing mechanism 50 is in the closedor printing configuration. The print head bracket 100 operativelysupports a print head assembly (an exemplary embodiment is described infurther detail below) cooperatively configured and oriented with respectto the contact elements or rollers of the roller bracket 52 to printinformation on a surface of the article, e.g., container 12, when theexpandable printing mechanism 50 is the closed or printingconfiguration, and the contact elements, e.g., rollers of the rollerbracket 52 contact or otherwise engage the article, e.g., container 12,and hold the article in operative position with respect to the printhead of the print head bracket 100.

The roller bracket 52 and the print head bracket 100 are respectivelymounted at a common pivot shaft 200 for pivoting, hinge-wise rotationrelative to one another. The pivot shaft 200 is mounted between theupper horizontal flange 22 and the lower horizontal flange 26 ofmounting frame 20. A lower end of the pivot shaft 200 is supportedwithin a bushing 210 mounted within the lower flange 26 of the mountingframe 20.

A coil spring 190 extending between spring hook 60 of the roller bracket52 and spring hook 114 of the print head bracket 100 biases the freeends of the brackets 52 and 100 toward one another, so that a forceexpanding the brackets 52 and 100 in a hinge-wise fashion must overcomethe force of the spring 190, and when that expanding force is removed,the brackets 52 and 100 will contract in hinge-wise fashion toward eachother under the bias force of the spring 190.

An expander mechanism, which may comprise a bracket expander, isgenerally indicated at reference number 220, and is configured tocontact or otherwise engage the roller bracket 52 and print head bracket100 and to selectively expand the expandable print station 50 by pushingthe roller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100 apart from each otheragainst the bias of the spring 190 to open the roller bracket 52 andprint head bracket 100 in hinge-wise fashion about the pivot shaft 200.The bracket expander 220 is also configured to selectively permit theroller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100 to close toward each otherunder the force of the spring 190 and maintain the brackets 52 and 100at a prescribed minimum spacing corresponding to a printingconfiguration of the expandable printing mechanism 50.

Further details of the pivot shaft 200, the roller bracket 52, and thebracket expander 220 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a frontal,left-hand partial perspective view showing the pivot shaft 200, theroller bracket 52, and the bracket expander 220 isolated from theremainder of the expandable printing mechanism 50. FIG. 5 is a frontal,left-hand partial perspective view showing the roller bracket 52 and thepivot shaft 200 isolated from the remainder of the expandable printingmechanism 50.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, in the illustrated embodiment, theroller bracket 52 has a generally channel-like construction with anupper horizontal flange 54, a lower horizontal flange 58, and a web 56extending vertically between an edge of the upper flange 54 and an edgeof the lower flange 58. Roller bracket 52 is preferably formed from amaterial that is sufficiently strong and rigid, is machinable, andlight-weight. Aluminum is an example of a suitable material for rollerbracket 52, although stamped sheet metal, plastic, or cast metal may besuitable in some embodiments. The roller bracket 52 is pivotablysupported upon the pivot shaft 200 by means of the pivot shaft 200extending through an opening formed in a pivot flange 62 extendinglaterally (e.g., horizontally) from the web 56 between the upper andlower flanges 54, 58 of the roller bracket 52. In the illustratedembodiment, the pivot flange 52 is axially fixed with respect to thepivot shaft 200 between a middle bushing 202(b) fixed at a middlelocation on the pivot shaft 200 and a circlip 208 or other suitableretainer element. Because the roller bracket 62 is supported on thepivot shaft 200 at only one location, i.e., at pivot flange 62,additional support and stability may be provided by an extension 92 ofthe lower flange 58 of the roller bracket 52 that is slidably supportedon a roller bracket support 90 extending upwardly from the lower flange26 of the mounting frame 20 (See, e.g., FIG. 3).

The expandable printing mechanism 50 includes one or more contactelements configured to contact an article to be printed on when theexpandable printing mechanism 50 is in the closed or printingconfiguration and to hold a curved surface of the article in operativeposition with respect to a print head of the station 50 during relativemovement between the print head and the curved surface. In theillustrated embodiment, the contact element(s) comprise two rollers 72,74 rotatably mounted within the roller bracket 52 between the upperflange 54 and the lower flange 58 of the bracket 52.

In the illustrated embodiment, roller 72 is a “clamping roller” that maycomprise a convex roller mounted on a shaft extending between upperflange 54 and lower flange 58 and having a roller surface with a varyingradius that increases from the longitudinal or axial ends of the roller72 toward the middle of the roller at which point the radius is largest.In an alternate embodiment as shown in FIG. 5A, a clamping roller 72′may be a cylindrical roller having a generally constant radius.

Roller 74 is a “capture roller” that comprises a “dumbbell”-shapedroller mounted on a shaft or rod extending between upper flange 54 andlower flange 58 and having an upper head 76 and a lower head 80. Upperhead 76 includes a bearing portion 78 and the lower head 80 includes abearing portion 82. In one embodiment, each bearing portion 78, 82presents a cylindrical outer surface, and the outer diameters of bearingportions 78 and 82 are the same. In an alternate embodiment, bearingportions 78 and 82 may have different respective diameters.

In various embodiments, rollers 72, 72′, and 74 are machined fromstainless steel.

In the illustrated embodiment, an outer, contact surface of the roller72, 72′ and the bearing portions 78, 82 of the dumbbell roller 74 havecircular shapes in axial cross-section. This is to accommodate agenerally circular article, such as tubular container 12, that iscontacted by the rollers 72 and 74. It is contemplated, however, thatrollers provided to contact an article having a surface may havenon-circular configurations to accommodate a non-circular article to becontacted by the rollers.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5, a roller bearing 64 is rotatablymounted within the web 56 of the roller bracket 52 on a generallyvertically-oriented bearing shaft 66 disposed within a vertical slot 68having a width that is less than the diameter of the bearing shaft 66.The roller bearing 64 itself is disposed within a rectangular bearingslot 69 formed in the web 56. The bearing shaft 66 is secured within thevertical slot 68 by means of bearing retainer plate 70 having a notchedend 71 that allows the bearing retainer plate 70 to hold the bearingshaft 66 in place within the slot 68 without interfering with the rollerbearing 64. The bearing retainer plate 70 is secured to the web 56 ofthe roller bracket 52 by a bolt or other suitable fastener or fasteningmeans such as a screw, adhesive, soldering, brazing, welding, etc.

Further details of the pivot shaft 200, the print head bracket 100, andthe bracket expander 220 are shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. FIG. 6 is afrontal, right-hand partial perspective view of the print head bracket100, the bracket expander 220, and the pivot shaft 200 isolated from theremainder of the expandable printing mechanism 50. FIG. 8 is a rear,right-hand partial perspective view of the print head bracket 100 andthe pivot shaft 200 isolated from the remainder of the expandableprinting mechanism 50.

The print head bracket 100 comprises a generally channel-like structureincluding an upper horizontal flange 102, a lower horizontal flange 106,and a web 104 extending vertically between an edge of the upper flange102 and an edge of the lower flange 106. As with the roller bracket 52,suitable materials for forming the print head bracket 100 includealuminum, stamped sheet metal, plastic, and cast metal. In theembodiment shown, the print head bracket 100 is supported on the pivotshaft 200 by means of the pivot shaft 200 extending through openingsformed in the lower flange 106 and the upper flange 102, and the bracket100 is axially fixed with respect to the pivot shaft 200 by a topbushing 202 a fixed to the pivot shaft 200, a bottom bushing 202 c fixedto the pivot shaft 200, and associated washers 206 and circlips 208 orother suitable retainer elements.

As with the roller bracket 52, the print head bracket 100 furtherincludes a roller bearing 116 rotatably mounted within the web 104 ofthe print head bracket 100 on a generally vertically oriented bearingshaft 118 disposed within a vertical slot 120 having a width that isless than the diameter of the bearing shaft 118. The roller bearing 116is disposed within a rectangular bearing slot 121 formed in the web 104.The bearing shaft 118 may be secured within the vertical slot 120 bymeans of bearing retainer plate 130 having a notched end 131 that allowsthe bearing retainer plate 130 to hold the bearing shaft 118 in placewithin the slot 120 without interfering with the roller bearing 116. Thebearing retainer plate 130 is secured to the web 104 of the print headbracket 100 by a bolt or other suitable fastener or fastening means suchas a screw, adhesive, soldering, brazing, welding, etc.

A print head assembly 150 is secured to the web 104 of the print headbracket 100. The print head assembly includes a print head 152, which,in one embodiment, is a thermal print head, mounted on a print headplaten 154. By way of example, a suitable print head is available fromROHM Co. Ltd., model no. KD3002-DF10A. The print head platen 154 servesas a mounting platform for the print head 152. The print head 152 may bemounted to the print head platen 154 by any suitable means, includingmechanical fasteners such as screws, bolts, rivets, or the like. Theprint head platen 154 includes an enlarged shaft boss 160, through whichextends a platen shaft 162 by which the print head assembly 150 ismounted to the web 104 of the print head bracket 100. In the illustratedembodiment, the platen shaft 162 is disposed within a horizontal shaftslot 122 having a width that is smaller than the diameter of the shaft162. A retainer clip 164 secured to the web 104, e.g., by a mechanicalfastener or the like, holds the platen shaft 162 within the shaft slot122. In various embodiments, the print head assembly 150 is able torotate about the platen shaft 162. To limit rotation of the print headplaten 154 about the platen shaft 162, a lower blocking leg 156 and anupper blocking leg 158 project behind the print head platen 154 andcontact the web 104 of the print head bracket 100.

As shown in FIG. 11, showing a left-hand side of the print head bracket100 opposite the right-hand side shown in FIGS. 6, 8, 9 and 10, theshaft boss 160 of the print head platen 154 extends into a rectangularopening 124 formed in the web 104 of the print head bracket 100. Thewidth of the opening 124 is somewhat larger than the width of the shaftboss 160, thereby defining a clearance gap 126 between an edge of theopening 124 and a side of the boss 160 when the shaft boss 160 isdisposed against one side of the rectangular opening 124. This gap 126enables the print head platen 154 to slide along the platen shaft 162 bya limited amount to thereby enable adjustment of the lateral position ofthe print head assembly 150.

Referring again to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, a print head adjustment lever 166is mounted to the web 104 of the print head bracket 100 at a pivot point178. Pivot point 178 may comprise a bolt or screw extending through anend of the adjustment lever 166 into the web 104 with a spring washer179 for frictionally restricting rotation of the print head adjustmentlever 166 about the pivot point 178. A cam end 172 of the adjustmentlever 166 includes a contact point 174 that is in contact with one sideof the print head assembly 150. As can be appreciated from FIG. 9, inthe illustrated embodiment, clockwise rotation of the adjustment lever166 will cause the contact point 174 to push the print head assembly 150to the left in the figure. In various embodiments, a spring or otherbiasing element may be provided to bias the print head assembly 150against the cam end 172 of the adjustment lever 166 (to the right inFIG. 9). Alternatively, or in addition, relative movement of the surfaceacross the print head (i.e., from left to right in FIG. 9) will bias theprint head assembly 150 against the cam end 172 of the adjustment lever166. The adjustment lever 166 can be retained in a desired position bymeans of a protuberance 170 (see FIG. 10) that extends into one of aplurality of holes 128 formed on an arcuate path at a constant radialdistance with respect to the pivot point 178 of the adjustment lever166. A grasping end 168 of the print head adjustment lever 166 isconfigured to be manually grasped to enable manipulation of theadjustment lever 166 by removing the protuberance 170 from one of theopenings 128, rotating the lever 166 in a desired clockwise orcounterclockwise direction, and then reinsert the protuberance into oneof the openings 128.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the bracket expander 220 is disposedbetween the roller bracket 52 and the print head bracket 100 of theexpandable printing mechanism 50. In an embodiment, the bracket expander220 includes a driven shaft 222 on which is mounted a cam element thatcontacts both the first and second support elements, e.g., rollerbracket 52 and print head bracket 100, and has a varying dimension sothat in one orientation of the cam element, the portions of the camelement contacting the first and second support elements hold the firstand second support elements apart by a first distance corresponding tothe open configuration of the expandable printing mechanism 50, and inanother orientation of the cam element, the portions of the cam elementcontacting the first and second support elements hold the first andsecond support elements apart by a second distance corresponding to theclosed or printing configuration of the expandable printing mechanism50.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cam element comprises a cam disc 226.Details of the cam disc 226 are shown in FIG. 7, which is a plan view ofthe cam disc 226. Cam disc 226 may comprise a structure that issymmetrical about an axis of rotation corresponding to the longitudinalaxis of the driven shaft 222 and may have a disc-like shape (i.e.,having an axial dimension, or thickness, that is smaller, typically muchsmaller, than its radial dimension or width). In the illustratedembodiment, cam disc 226 is coaxially mounted on the shaft 222 and isnon-circular, having a variable radius. In the embodiment shown, the camdisc 226 has two diametrically opposed portions 228 having a firstradius r1 and two diametrically opposed portions 230 having a secondradius r2. In the illustrated embodiment, portions 228 are spaced 90°from portions 230, and r1 is greater than r2. The cam disc 226 contactsthe roller bearing 64 of the roller bracket 52 and contacts the rollerbearing 116 of the print head bracket 100 to enable smooth,non-frictional relative movement between the cam disc 226 and thebrackets 52 and 100. In an alternate embodiment, the roller bearings 64and 116 are omitted and the cam disc contacts the roller bracket 52 andprint head bracket 100 directly or through some other intermediatecontact mechanism.

The driven shaft 222 is mounted within the mounting frame 20 forrotation with an upper spinner bearing 232 a and a lower spinner bearing232 b supporting the shaft 222 at the upper flange 22 and the lowerflange 26, respectively, of the mounting frame 20.

The bracket expander 220 further comprises a pulley wheel 234 coaxiallymounted to the lower end of the driven shaft 222 and a motor 248 with adrive wheel 240 mounted to an output shaft of the motor 248, e.g., byhub fastener 250, and coupled to the pulley wheel 234 by means of adrive, or timing, belt 246. An exemplary, suitable drive wheel is theFairloc® timing belt pulley available from SDP/SI New Hyde Park, N.Y.

Operation of the bracket expander 220 will now be explained.

With the shaft 222 and cam disc 226 in a first position (abracket-expanding position) the contact portions 228 of radius r1 of thecam disc 226 contact the roller bearings 64, 116 of the roller bracket52 and the print head bracket 100, respectively, (so that the rollerbearings are spaced apart by a distance of 2×r1). In this position ofthe cam disc 226, the roller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100 arespaced-apart by the largest distance provided by the bracket expander220, thereby putting the expandable printing mechanism 50 in its openconfiguration.

Rotation of the driven shaft 222 and cam disc 226 by 90° to a secondposition (a bracket contracting position), positions the contactportions 230 of radius r2 of the cam disc 226 in with contact the rollerbearings 64, 116 of the roller bracket 52 and the print head bracket100, respectively, (so that the roller bearings are spaced apart by adistance of 2×r2), the roller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100 arespaced-apart by the smallest distance allowed by the bracket expander220, thereby putting the expandable printing mechanism 50 in its closedor printing configuration.

The driven shaft 222 is driven by the motor 248 supported on the lowerflange 26 of the mounting frame 20 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). As noted above,motor 248 is coupled to the driven shaft 222 by the drive belt 246trained over the pulley wheel 234 and the drive wheel 240 mounted to anoutput shaft of the motor 248. An idler wheel 242 coupled to a belttensioner 244 ensures proper tension for the belt 246 and/or enablesadjustment of the belt tension. An exemplary, suitable tensioner isavailable from York Industries, Inc., Garden City Park, N.Y., part no.DP3UB-2G24A74-B53PE-ACS.

Motor 248 may comprise a stepper motor. An exemplary, suitable steppermotor is available from Lin Engineering, Morgan Hill, Calif., model no.WO-4118S-01.

The bracket expander 220 may further comprise a hand wheel 224 coaxiallyor otherwise operatively attached to the driven shaft 222 to permitmanual rotation of the cam disc 226 and thus manual expansion orcontraction of the roller bracket 52 and the print head bracket 100.

To enable automated control of the printing module 10 by a controller,such as a computerized servo-controller or the like, signals indicativeof the status or configuration of one or more components of the modulemay be provided as inputs to the controller, as will be described infurther detail below. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the bracketexpander 220 includes a detector or other means for generating a signalindicative of the status or position of the bracket expander 220—andthereby, the status, opened or closed, of the expandable printingmechanism 50.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the bracket expander 220includes an index wheel 236 coaxially mounted to the driven shaft 222.An optical sensor, such as a slotted optical sensor 238 mounted withinthe module, for example to the upper flange 102 of the print headbracket 100, detects the passage of a detectable feature of the indexwheel 236, such as one or more radial slots 237, 239, formed in thewheel 236. In one embodiment, the optical sensor 238 comprises a slottedoptical sensor forming an emitter/receiver pair, whereby a beam from theemitter to the detector is broken by the presence of the index wheel236, until the wheel rotates such that one of the slots 237, 239 passesthrough the sensor, thereby completing the optical circuit from theemitter to the receiver and generating a signal indicative of thepassage of the slot. Thus, by means of a detector such as the opticalsensor 238 and the index wheel 236, a signal indicative of the positionof the bracket expander, e.g., a bracket expanding position or in abracket contracting position, can be generated.

With the expandable printing mechanism 50 in an open configuration—i.e.,with the roller bracket 52 and the print head bracket 100 spread apartfrom each other by the bracket expander 220—a tubular container 12 canbe inserted into an access opening 30 formed in the upper flange 22 ofthe mounting frame 20. The access opening 30 may be surrounded by a tubeguide 28 defined by a plurality of resilient fingers that projectdownwardly and radially inwardly. When the tubular container 12 isinserted into the access opening 30, the distal ends of the fingers ofthe tube guide 28, which may be spaced apart by a distance that is lessthan the diameter of the tubular container 12, deflect outwardly topermit the tube to be inserted while pressing resiliently against theexternal surface of the tubular container, thereby holding the tubularcontainer in a relatively stable lateral position.

When the tubular container 12 has been fully inserted into theexpandable printing mechanism 50, the bracket expander 220 is activatedto permit the roller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100 to close uponthe tubular container 12. When the roller bracket 52 closes, the rollers72 and 74 press against the tubular container 12, thereby pushing anopposite side of the tubular container 12 into operative contact withthe print head 152 of the print head assembly 150. An embodiment of thisarrangement is shown in FIG. 19, which is a partial transversecross-sectional view of the module showing the rollers 72 and 74,including the tube bearing portion 82 of lower head 80 of the dumbbellroller 74, and the print head 152 engaged with the container 12 when theroller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100 are in the closed position.

The convex clamping roller 72, having a larger diameter at an axialcenter portion thereof than at the axial ends thereof, provides operablephysical contact between the curved external surface of the tubularcontainer 12 and the print head 152 along the entire length of the printhead 152. In one embodiment, the tubular container 12 may have a convexshape with a diameter that increases from the axial ends thereof towardan axial middle portion thereof. This is described in further detailbelow. In other instances, the tubular container 12 may have a warped,or “banana” shape whereby the sides are curved from one end to theother. The dumbbell roller 74, having tube-bearing portion 78 at theupper head 76 and tube-bearing portion 82 at the lower head 80 bearsagainst the upper and lower axial ends, respectively, of the tubularcontainer 12, thereby ensuring that the tube is maintained in a stableposition. One main function of the convex roller 72 is to straighten outthe bowed sides of the tubular container 12. This functionality may beuseful for “banana-shaped” or outwardly bowed containers where a concaveside of the container does not mate flush with the print head 152,thereby leaving one or more gaps between the print head and theprintable surface on the container side. The convex roller 72 helps pushthe tube wall flat up against the print head 152. In other embodiments,a clamping roller 72′ (see FIG. 5A) having a cylindrical shape canprovide sufficient pressure to effect sufficiently constant contactbetween the print head and the printable surface. The tube bearingportions 78, 82 of the dumbbell roller 74 press primarily at the upperand lower ends of the tubular container 12, thereby preventing lateraldrift of the container without pressing on the side of the container ina manner that may counteract the straightening pressure applied by theconvex roller 72.

In an embodiment, it is preferable that the clamping roller 72, 72′ andthe capture roller 74 be substantially parallel to the print head 152 soas to hold the tube against the print head 152 with substantially evenpressure along the length of the print head. It is also preferable thatthe clamping roller 72, 72′ and the capture roller 74 be parallel to thetube 12. In this regard, it is preferable that the roller bracketsupport 90 support the roller bracket 52 at the proper position so thatthe clamping roller 72, 72′ and the capture roller 74 are parallel tothe print head 152 and the tube 12.

Container Rotation Assembly

Aspects of the container rotation assembly 260, are shown in FIG. 12,which is a partial, top perspective view of the container rotationassembly 260 and mounting frame 20 isolated from the remainingcomponents of the printing module 10.

The container rotation assembly 260 includes a carousel 261 on which thetubular container 12 is supported and which is operatively coupled forpowered rotation to a motor 300 by means of a drive belt or timing belt298. Drive belt 298 is trained around a drive wheel 302 mounted to anoutput shaft of the motor 300, e.g., by hub fastener 304, and thecarousel 261. An exemplary, suitable drive wheel is the Fairloc® timingbelt pulley available from SDP/SI New Hyde Park, N.Y. An idler wheel 308attached to a belt tensioner 306 may be provided for ensuring andadjusting proper tension in the belt 298. An exemplary, suitabletensioner is available from York Industries, Inc., Garden City Park,N.Y., part no. DP3UB-2G24A74-B53PE-PS.

Motor 300 may comprise a stepper motor and is mounted above the lowerflange 26 of the mounting frame 20 on a plurality (e.g., four)stand-offs 301 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). An exemplary, suitable stepper motoris available from Lin Engineering, Morgan Hill, Calif., model no.WO-211-13-02F.

A timing mark sensor 310 is positioned adjacent to the tubular container12 carried on the carousel 261 and is configured to detect a timingmark, such as a darkened rectangle or other detectable graphic symbolprovided on an external surface 14 of the tubular container 12, e.g., ona label secured to the external surface. In the illustrated embodiment,sensor 310 is supported on a depending shelf 32 extending laterally fromthe mounting frame 20 and through the print head bracket 100 (see alsoFIGS. 18 and 19). Timing mark sensor 310 is constructed and arranged todetect a timing mark on the printable surface, as will be described infurther detail below, but is also operable to detect the presence of atubular container 12 inserted into the expandable printing mechanism 50.In various embodiments, sensor 310 is a reflective sensor, such as Optek#OPB70FWZ or Optek #OPB748WZ.

In an embodiment, the capture roller 74 is located diametrically acrossfrom the sensor 310 (see FIG. 19, showing roller 74 across from thesensor-supporting shelf 32). Thus, in such embodiment, a dark-coloredcoating (e.g., black) may be applied to the roller 74 to minimizereflectance from the roller 74. The coating may be an epoxy powdercoating.

Further details of the carousel 261 are shown in FIGS. 13, 14, 16, 17,and 18.

FIG. 13 is a top, exploded perspective view of the carousel 261 isolatedfrom the remainder of the container rotation assembly 260. FIG. 14 is apartial, top perspective view of a portion of the carousel 261. FIG. 16is a bottom plan view of the carousel 261.

Carousel 261 includes an upper disc 294 and a lower disc 262 mounted ona shaft 322 so as to be rotatable with respect to each other. Referringto FIGS. 13, 14 and 16, the lower disc 262 includes peripheral gearteeth 264 that are engaged by the drive belt 298. Lower disc 262 furtherincludes three guide slots 266 each having a first end 268 and a secondend 270. First end 268 is located radially inwardly from second end 270relative to the center of the lower disc 262. Each guide slot 266further includes a curved inner portion 274 extending from first end 268to second end 270 and an outer portion 272 having a first curvature fora first extent from the first end 268 to a point 273 at which thecurvature of outer portion 272 changes and a second curvature from thepoint 273 to the second end 270. In another embodiment, the inner andouter portions of each guide slot have the same or substantially thesame curve profile and the width of each slot is substantially constantalong its length.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 17, which is a top plan view of the upper disc294, upper disc 294 includes three slots 296. Carousel 261 furthercomprises three pivoting gripper assemblies 280 disposed partiallybetween the lower disc 262 and the upper disc 294. As shown in FIGS. 13,14 and 15, each pivoting gripper assembly 280 includes a pivot arm 282,a knurled wheel 284, a mounting shaft 286 on which the knurled wheel ismounted, a spacer 288 beneath the knurled wheel 284 and surrounding themounting shaft 286, a pivot pin 290, and a guide pin 292. In oneembodiment, the carousel comprises three gripper assemblies comprisingthree knurled wheels 284 a, 284 b, 284 c mounted on three mountingshafts 286 a, 286 b, 286 c, respectively. As shown in FIG. 16, invarious embodiments, resilient band 285 may be disposed over the spacers288 on the mounting shafts 286 a, 286 b, 286 c beneath the knurledwheels 284 a, 284 b, 284 c to bias the knurled wheels of all thepivoting gripper assemblies 280 radially inwardly. Referring to FIG. 14,showing the lower disc 262 and only one of the gripper assemblies 280,each pivoting gripper assembly 280 is disposed atop the lower disc 262with the guide pin 292 disposed within one of the guide slots 266 of thelower disc 262. The pivot pin 290 of each gripper assembly 280 extendsupwardly from the pivot arm 282 into a pivot hole 297 of the upper disc294, which is disposed atop the pivot arm 282. The mounting shaft 286and spacer 288 extend through one of the slots 296 of the upper disc294, and the knurled wheels 284 a, 284 b, 284 c are disposed above theupper disc 294 (see FIG. 13).

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional, perspective view showing the carousel 261in cross-section and a portion of the mounting frame 20.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 18, the carousel 261 is rotatably mounted tothe lower flange 26 of the mounting frame 20 by means of a shaft 322extending through the centers of the upper disc 294 and lower disc 262and through the lower flange 26. In one embodiment, the container 12includes a conical bottom portion 16 that nests within a recess 312formed in the top of the shaft 322 for centering the container 12 andretaining the container 12 in that centered position. A lower end 326 ofthe shaft 322 may be secured within the lower flange 26 by means of aretainer 314, which may comprise a snap fit or threaded retainer. Theupper disc 294 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 322 by means of aroller bearing 320 or the like. The lower disc 262 is rotatably mountedupon the shaft 322 by means of a bearing race 318—comprising inner race318 a and outer race 318 b—or the like. A coil spring 316 is disposedbetween the bearing race 318 (inner race 318 a) and the lower flange 26of the mounting frame 20. A cap portion 324 of the shaft 322 retains theupper disc 294 and lower disc 262 on the shaft 322. Spring 316 urges theassembly—comprising the bearing race 318, lower disc 262, pivot arms282, upper disc 294, and roller bearing 320—against the cap 324 of theshaft 322.

Operation of the pivoting gripper assemblies 280 will now be described.Rotation of the lower disc 262 in a first direction (counter-clockwisefor the configuration shown in FIG. 16) will cause the pivoting gripperassemblies 280 to pivot about their respective pivot pins 290 as theirrespective guide pins 292 move within an associated guide slot 266 fromone end 268 to the opposite end 270, thereby moving their respectiveknurled wheels 286 a, b, c radially inwardly and into contact with theend of a tubular container. As each guide pin 292 has reached the end oftravel within the associated guide slot 266 so that relative movementbetween the guide pin 292 and the lower disc 262 is no longer possible,further rotation of the lower disc 262 will also rotate the upper disc294, to which the pivoting gripper assemblies 280 are coupled via theirpivot pins 290, and the tubular container. In addition, resilient band285 helps bias the knurled wheels 284 radially inwardly into contactwith the tubular container.

Reversing the rotation of the lower disc 262 will reverse the pivot ofthe gripper assemblies 280 as the respective guide pins 292 move withintheir associated guide slots 266 from end 270 to the opposite end 268,thereby withdrawing the knurled wheels 286 radially outwardly—againstthe bias of the resilient band 285—from the tubular container.

Note that the variation in the shape of the inner portion 274 and outerportion 272 of each guide slot 266 allows manual manipulation of thepivoting gripper assembly 280 when the guide pin 292 is at the widestportion, at point 273, of the slot 266.

Hardware and Software

Aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented viacontrol and computing hardware components, software (which may includefirmware), data input components, and data output components. Hardwarecomponents include computing and control modules (e.g., systemcontroller(s)), such as microprocessors, embedded controllers,application specific integrated circuits (ASICS), and computers,configured to effect computational and/or control steps by receiving oneor more input values, executing one or more algorithms stored onnon-transitory machine-readable media (e.g., software) that provideinstruction for manipulating or otherwise acting on or in response tothe input values, and output one or more output values. Such outputs maybe displayed or otherwise indicated to a user for providing informationto the user, for example information as to the status of the instrumentor a process being performed thereby, or such outputs may compriseinputs to other processes and/or control algorithms. Data inputcomponents comprise elements by which data is input for use by thecontrol and computing hardware components. Such data inputs may comprisesignals generated by, for example, position sensors, motor encoders,barcode scanners, or RFID scanners, as well as manual input elements,such as keyboards, stylus-based input devices, touch screens,microphones, switches, manually-operated scanners, etc. Data inputs mayfurther include data retrieved from memory. Data output components maycomprise hard drives or other storage media, monitors, printers,indicator lights, or audible signal elements (e.g., chime, buzzer, horn,bell, etc.).

Control System

FIG. 20 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates s controlarchitecture for the printing module 10. An exemplary controlarchitecture may include a controller 400, which monitors, communicateswith, and controls aspects of printing module 10, including theexpandable printing mechanism 50, the container rotation assembly 260, atube-present sensor 310, and the timing mark sensor 315 (in anembodiment, the tube present sensor and the timing mark sensor may bethe same sensor 310). The motor 248 of the expandable printing mechanism50, and the motor 300 of the container rotation assembly 260 are coupledto and controlled by the controller 400, which is also connected to acontrollable power supply 402. Controller 400 provides power andoperational control signals to the motor 248 and motor 300. Controller400 may also receive data from the motors 248, 300 in the form of rotaryencoder counts from encoders 251, 305, respectively, as well as otherfeedback sensor signals.

Controller 400 comprises a computer system for executing software (whichmay include firmware) that effects operation, control, and monitoring ofthe printing module 10. Controller 400 is implemented via one or morelogic elements, e.g., a computer, embedded controller, applicationspecific integrated circuit, etc., and may include or access datastorage memory 404, which may include random access memory (RAM), readonly memory (ROM), flash memory, and other types of memory now known orlater developed. Controller 400 may also include additional memory,including, for example, a hard disk drive and/or a removable storagedrive, representing a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, USBslot, memory card interface, internet memory, cloud-based memory, or anystorage medium or format now known or later developed. Memory devicesand storage units used herein may comprise any storage medium forpersistent and/or volatile storage of electronic data now known or laterdeveloped. Such data may be stored within the storage medium in adatabase, which may comprise any data structure and format now known orlater developed, including, for example, a relational database, anobject database, a flat file, list, and so on, or some combinationthereof.

In alternative embodiments, some or all of the memory may include othersimilar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to beloaded into a computer system. Such means can include, for example, aremovable storage unit and an interface. Examples of such can include amemory stick and memory stick interface, a secure digital card andinterface, and other portable media and interfaces which allow softwareand data to be transferred to controller 400.

Software comprises instructions stored on non-transitorycomputer-readable media which, when executed by the logic element(s) ofthe controller 400, cause the control and computing hardware to performone or more automated or semi-automated processes.

The computer system of controller 400 may also include a communicationsinterface, which allows information (e.g., power, control and feedbacksignals, software, data, etc.) to be transferred between controller 400and external devices. Examples of communications interface can include amodem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communicationsport, a PCMCIA slot and card, a USB-port, a Firewire port, or anyinterface now known or later developed. Information transferred via acommunications interface is in the form of signals which can beelectronic, electromagnetic, optical or other signals capable of beingreceived by the communications interface.

The computer system of controller 400 can also include one or more inputdevices, such as a touch screen, stylus, keyboard, mouse or otherpointing device, microphone, data scanners (e.g., barcode, RFID, etc.),and so on. Various output devices may also be included in the computersystem, including indicator lights, a display, printer, tactile (e.g.,vibratory) indicators, and audio speakers.

In this document, terms such as “computer program medium,”“computer-readable medium,” “computer usable medium,” and the like areused to generally refer to media, such as removable storage units, ahard disk installed in hard disk drive, and other means for providingsoftware and data to controller 400.

Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored in oneor more portions of the memory 404 that is part of or accessed bycontroller 400. Computer programs can also be received via acommunications interface. Such computer programs, when executed, enablethe computer system of controller 400 to control the operation of theprinting module 10 in accordance with aspects disclosed herein.

In an embodiment in which aspects of the subject matter disclosed hereinare implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computerprogram product and loaded into the computer system of controller 400using a removable storage drive, a hard drive, an interface, and/or acommunications interface. The control logic (software), when executed bythe processor of the controller 400, causes the processor to performfunctional aspects of the subject matter as described herein via thesystems, devices, apparatuses, sensors, encoder, etc. described above.An operating system may perform basic tasks such as recognizing inputfrom an input device, sending output to an output device, managing filesand system resources, and managing the various processes embodyingcomputer programs running on the computer system.

Controller 400 may comprise a stand-alone system dedicated to theprinting module 10, or one or more components of controller 400—e.g.,processor, memory, interfaces, input/output devices, etc.—may be ashared part of a global controller that controls one or more componentsof an instrument or laboratory of which the printing module 10 is acomponent, in addition to the printing module 10.

As shown schematically in FIG. 20, with respect to the expandableprinting mechanism 50, controller 400 receives signals from motor 248,and/or from an encoder 251, and from a position sensor of the bracketexpander 220, such as the optical sensor 238 that detects the passage ofslots 237, 239 of the index wheel 236. Controller 400 sends control(power) signals to the motor 248 to effect selective operation of themotor—and the bracket expander 220—and to the print head 152 to effectselective printing 248.

The controller 400 may also retrieve from the memory 404 the informationthat is to be printed by the pint head 152 or information that is to beassociated with information to be printed by the print head 152. In thecase of a container for biological or chemical samples or reactions,that information may comprise identification of the sample—e.g., type ofsample material (e.g., chemical compound or sample, such as water,blood, urine, amniotic fluid, etc.), the source of the sample (e.g.,origin of the compound or sample, such as clinical, industrial,environmental, or food sources, patient name, and other sourceinformation), the date the sample was acquired, or other identifyingparameters. The information may also include the type of assay(s) ortest(s) to be performed on the sample, identification of reagents orother materials added to or to be added to the sample, or any otherinformation relevant to the contents of the container and/or proceduresto be performed on the contents. Although identifying information itselfmay be printed directly onto the surface of the container, in manyinstances, the information that is printed onto the surface is a codethat is human readable (e.g., a graphic and/or alphanumeric code) and/ormachine readable (e.g., one and/or two dimensional barcode), and thatcode is associated, e.g., in a relational database, with the informationassociated with the container and/or its contents.

The information is retrieved by the controller 400 from memory 404 andis converted to control signals for operation of the print head 152 toprint the required information (e.g., a barcode) onto the surface.

With respect to the container rotation assembly 260, controller 400 mayreceive signals from the motor 300, and/or encoder 305, and send control(power) signals to the motor 300 to effect selective operation of themotor 300.

Controller 400 may also receive signals from the tube present sensor 310and the timing mark sensor 310, which signals are processed to generatecontrol signals to motor 248 to effect operation of the bracket expander220, to motor 300 to effect operation of the container rotation assembly260, and to the print head 152 which, in combination with operation ofthe container rotation assembly 260, applies the printed information toa curved surface of the tube.

A process or algorithm 450 implemented in the operation of the printingmodule 10 is represented by a flow chart in FIG. 21. In one embodiment,algorithm 450 is an automated process whereby the printing module 10 canbe operated to print information onto the curved surface of an articlewholly or substantially without human intervention. In an embodiment,all or part of the algorithm 450 may be encoded as executable software(e.g., firmware) using any suitable programming language, such asAssembly, C, or C++, and/or all or part of the algorithm may be “hardcoded” or “hard wired” in a control module, such as an embeddedcontroller, for example, an application specific integrated circuit(“ASIC”). The algorithm 450 may be executed by a controller module, suchas controller 400 described above, and all or part of any executablesoftware may be stored in a manner that is functionally accessible tothe controller 400, for example in memory 404.

In an initial step 452 of the algorithm 450, the module 10 is readied toreceive an article, such as container tube 12, having a curved surfaceby insuring that the expandable printing mechanism 50 is in an openconfiguration and thus in a configuration amenable to receiving thearticle. That the expandable printing mechanism 50 is in the openconfiguration can be ascertained and/or confirmed by receiving signalsfrom sensors or other indicators monitoring certain parameters that areindicative of the configuration—opened or closed—of the expandableprinting mechanism. For example, in one embodiment, step 452 can beperformed by, e.g., the controller 400 receiving a signal from theslotted optical sensor 238 that detects features of the index wheel 236to thereby indicate the position of the cam disc 226 of the bracketexpander 220. If the position of the cam disc 226, as indicated by thesignal from the sensor 238 corresponding to a rotational position of theindex wheel 236, is such that the portions 228 of the cam disc 226 arein contact with the roller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100 of theexpandable printing mechanism 50, the printing mechanism 50 is in theopen configuration. On the other hand, if the position of the cam disc226 is such that portions 230 of the cam disc 226 are in contact withthe roller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100, the expandableprinting mechanism is in the closed or printing configuration.

If the expandable printing mechanism 50 is not in the openconfiguration, the bracket expander 220 is activated by controller 400sending an activation signal (control and power signal) to the motor 248to rotate the shaft 222 and cam disc 226 until the portions 228 of thecam disc are in contact with the roller bracket 52 and the print headbracket 100, thereby opening the expandable printing mechanism 50 intothe open configuration. If motor 248 is a stepper motor, it can beactivated for a specified number of steps to rotate the shaft 222 andcam disc 226, e.g., 90°, into position for opening the expandableprinting mechanism 50, provided that the initial rotational position ofthe shaft 222 and cam disc 226 is known. In addition, or alternatively,the motor 248 can be activated until a signal is received from theoptical sensor 238 indicating that the portions 228 of the cam disc 226are in contact with the roller bracket 52 and print head bracket 100.When a signal indicating that the expandable printing mechanism 50 is inthe open configuration is received by the controller 400, controller 400deactivates the motor 248.

In step 454, the article, e.g., container tube 12, is inserted into theaccess opening 30 of the module 10. The article can be placed into themodule 10 by any suitable means or mechanism, including manually or by arobotic pick-and-place mechanism.

In step 456, the container 12 is detected, e.g., by sensor 310, toconfirm that it has been fully and properly inserted into the module 10.The container's presence can be confirmed by, for example, tube presentsensor 310 and/or any suitable sensor, such as, for example, a contactsensor, an optical sensor, or a proximity sensor in communication withthe controller 400.

In step 458, the rotation assembly 260 is activated by the controller400 to begin rotating the container 12. The rotation assembly 260 can beactivated by sending a control and power signal to the motor 300 torotate the carrousel 261.

In step 460, the article, e.g., container 12, is rotated until a timingmark located on the container 12 is detected by the timing mark sensor310. In an embodiment, detection of the timing mark indicates that thecontainer 12 is in a predetermined position with respect to the printhead assembly 150. The predetermined position could be the position atwhich printing should be commenced, or it could be a position that is ata known rotational offset from the printing position, such that printingwill commence after the container has been rotated from thepredetermined position by the offset amount.

Thus, in the context of this disclosure, the timing mark on the surfaceof the container does not necessarily relate to time or a temporalparameter, but instead is a spatial parameter for detecting locationsand/or distances with respect to the detected location and/or withrespect to one or more dimensions of the timing mark.

Further details regarding exemplary methods for detecting a timing markand for positioning the tube at a print-ready position are describedbelow.

After the timing mark has been located, in step 462, the bracketexpander 220 is activated by the controller 400 to alter the expandableprinting mechanism 50 into a closed or printing configuration. Bracketexpander 220 can be activated and controlled by sending a control andpower signal to motor 248 to operate the motor for a specified number ofsteps to rotate the cam disc 226, e.g., 90°, from a first positioncorresponding to the open configuration of the expandable printingmechanism 50, i.e., a position in which the portions 228 of the cam disc226 are in contact with the roller bracket 52 and print head bracket100, to a second position corresponding to the closed configuration ofthe expandable printing mechanism 50, i.e., a position in which portions230 of the cam disc 226 are in contact with the roller bracket 52 andthe print head bracket 100. Optical sensor 238 can be monitored by thecontroller 400 to confirm that the shaft 222 and cam disc 226 haverotated to the proper position for the closed configuration of theexpandable printing mechanism 50. Alternatively, or in addition, themotor 248 can be activated by sending power to the motor 248 to rotatethe shaft 222 and the cam disc 226 until the slotted optical sensor 238indicates that the cam disc 226 has rotated from the first positioncorresponding to the open configuration of the expandable printingmechanism 50 to the second position corresponding to the closed orprinting configuration of the expandable printing mechanism 50, at whichtime power to the motor 248 is terminated.

In step 464, when the article, e.g., container 12, is in the printingposition with respect to the print head assembly 152, the print headassembly 152 is activated by the controller 400 to begin printing on thecurved surface. The rotation assembly 260 can be controlled such thatdetection of the timing mark in step 462 results in a momentary pause inthe rotation of the carousel 261 and container 12, at which time theprint head 152 is activated in step 464 before rotation of the carousel261 and container 12 is resumed. Alternatively, rotation assembly 260can be controlled such that rotation of the carousel 261 and container12 continues, and detection of the timing mark 462 results in theactivation of the print head assembly 150 while the carousel 261continues to rotate.

In step 466, with the print head assembly 152 activated, the rotationassembly 260 is activated to effect rotation of the container 12 andmovement of the curved surface with respect to the activated print headassembly 150. In one embodiment, the motor 300 is activated for aspecified number of counts or steps, thereby effecting the correctangular relative movement between the curved surface of the article 12and the print head assembly 152 so as to apply the desired image to thecurved surface.

Further details regarding an exemplary printing process are describedbelow. In an embodiment described below, a timing mark modifier, whichmay be an extension of or other detectable alteration of the timing markor which may be a secondary timing mark, is printed during the printingprocess to provide an indication that the tube has been printed on.Detection of such a timing mark modifier by the timing mark sensor 310indicates that the tube has been previously printed on and may result inthe tube being rejected for further processing.

In step 468, after step 466 is completed, the motor 300 is deactivatedto halt rotation of the carousel 261, and the print head assembly 152 isdeactivated to terminate printing onto the curved surface.

In step 470, the bracket expander 220 is activated to rotate the shaft222 and the cam disc 226 and open the expandable printing mechanism 50to the open configuration so that the article, e.g., container 12, canbe removed from the printing module 10. In the reverse of the operationpreviously described, the bracket expander 220 can be activated andcontrolled by sending a control and power signal to motor 248 to operatethe motor for a specified number of steps to rotate the cam disc 226from a second position corresponding to the closed configuration of theexpandable printing mechanism 50, i.e., a position in which the portions230 of the cam disc 226 are in contact with the roller bracket 52 andprint head bracket 100, to a first position corresponding to the openedconfiguration of the expandable printing mechanism 50, i.e., a positionin which portions 228 of the cam disc 226 are in contact with the rollerbracket 52 and the print head bracket 100. Again, optical sensor 238 canbe monitored by the controller 400 to confirm that the shaft 222 and camdisc 226 have rotated to the proper position for the openedconfiguration of the expandable printing mechanism 50. Alternatively, orin addition, the motor 248 can be activated by sending power to themotor 248 to rotate the shaft 222 and the cam disc 226 until the slottedoptical sensor 238 indicates that the cam disc 226 has rotated from thesecond position corresponding to the closed configuration of theexpandable printing mechanism 50 to the first position corresponding tothe opened configuration of the expandable printing mechanism 50, atwhich time power to the motor 248 is terminated.

In step 472, the motor 300 is activated to operate in reverse to causereverse rotation of the carousel 261 and the lower disc 262 and withdrawthe knurled wheels 284 radially away from the container 12.

As the article, e.g., tube 12, is rotated by the article moving assembly260 while the article is being pressed against the print head 152 by therollers 72 (or 72′) and 74, it is possible that the tube 12 may slipwithin the knurled wheels 284 of the pivoting gripper assemblies 280. Ifthe tube slips, the carousel 261 may rotate by a prescribed amount, butthe tube 12 will have rotated less than the prescribed amount. As thereshould be relative movement between the print head 152 and the tube 12as an image is applied to the curved surface of the tube 12 by the printhead 152, slippage will interrupt that relative movement thereby leadingto errors and inaccuracies in the image printed by the print head. Thus,in an embodiment described below, before step 472 is performed, a slipdetection process may be performed to determine if the tube may haveslipped within the knurled wheels 284 during the printing process.

In step 474, container 12 is removed from the module 10 through theaccess opening 30. The container or other article can be removed fromthe printing module 10 by any suitable means or mechanism, includingmanually or by a robotic pick-and-place mechanism.

Tubular Container

A specific embodiment of a container, e.g., container 12, for use in theprinting module 10 is generally indicated by reference number 500 inFIGS. 22-25. FIG. 22 is a perspective view, in longitudinalcross-section, of the container 500, FIG. 23 is a side cross-sectionalview of the container 500, FIG. 24 is a bottom, perspective view of thecontainer 500, and FIG. 24 is a bottom plan view of the container 500.

The container 500 is a generally tubular container having a sidewall 502with an exterior surface 530 and a generally circular opening 514 at anupper end 504 and a bottom wall 516 near the lower end 506 of thecontainer. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, thebottom wall 516 has a frustoconical shape. Exterior surface 530 mayinclude a label made from, e.g., a thermal print medium, secured to theexterior surface of the side wall 502 by adhesive or the like.

The container 500 can be made of any suitable material, and ispreferably made from an injection molded plastic, such as polypropylene,or other similar material. The material of which the container 500 ismade preferably has sufficient strength and pliability to withstand theforces applied to the sidewall 502 by the print head assembly 150 aswell as rollers 72 and 74 without breaking or permanently deforming thecontainer 12.

The container 500 may be configured to hold chemical and/or biologicalsample material, including biological samples commonly collected anddelivered to clinical laboratories for analysis, such as blood, urine,sputum, saliva, pus, mucous and cerebrospinal fluid and/or chemicaland/or biological process materials, such as chemical compounds orreagents that react with the sample material and/or each other withinthe container 500.

Container 500 may be configured at its upper end 504 to cooperativelyreceive a cap or other closure element for temporarily or permanentlyclosing off the upper opening 514 of the container 500. Featuresprovided for cooperating with a cap may include threads 510 formed on anexterior surface of the sidewall 502 of the container 500 and configuredto cooperate with mating threads formed on an interior surface of a cap.Alternatively, threads may be formed on the interior surface of thesidewall 502 and configured to cooperate with mating threads formed onan exterior surface of the cap. Other features for securing a cap to thecontainer 500 may include cooperating flanges, recesses, and/or tabsthat allow the cap to snapped into place on the container.

A ring flange 512 extending circumferentially about the sidewall 502 ofthe container 500 can be included to be abutted by a bottom, annularedge of a cap side wall when the cap is placed on the upper end of thecontainer 500.

Suitable caps for use with the container 500 include penetrable capsdescribed by Kacian et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,612.

An axially depending skirt 518 extends from the side wall 502 below thebottom wall 516 at the lower end 506 of the container 500. In theillustrated embodiment, the depending skirt 518 comprises an axialextension of the sidewall 502 below the frustoconical bottom wall 516. Alower end of the skirt 518 defines an edge ring 508 that is generallyperpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the container 500, so as todefine a bottom edge upon which the container can be set in an uprightposition on a flat surface, such as a table or counter top. The skirt518 also provides a surface at the bottom of the tubular container 500to be contacted by the knurled wheels 284 of the container rotationassembly 260.

In the illustrated embodiment, circular intermediate skirt 520 surroundsthe frustoconical bottom wall 516 and extends below an exterior surfaceof the bottom wall 516 in a configuration that is generally concentricwith the axially depending skirt 518. A lower end 524 of theintermediate skirt 520 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of the container 500 and, in the illustrated embodiment, isco-terminal with the tip of the frustoconical bottom wall 516.

As shown in FIGS. 23-25, a plurality of radially oriented spoke ribs 522extend between the intermediate skirt 520 and the axially dependingskirt 518. The illustrated embodiment includes six radial spoke ribs522. The spoke ribs 522 may be equiangularly-spaced, as shown, and eachspoke rib 522 extends radially between the skirts 518 and 520 andextends axially from the outer surface of the frustoconical bottom wall516 to a terminal edge that is above the lower edge 524 of theintermediate skirt 520.

In one embodiment, the container 500 may have a tubular, e.g.,cylindrical, configuration with a generally constant diameter from theupper end 504 to the lower end 506. In another embodiment the diameterof the sidewall 502 of the container 500 may vary along the axial lengthof the container 500. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, the sidewall 502may be defined by a diameter “A” near the upper end 504 of thecontainer, a diameter “B” at an axial midpoint of the sidewall 502, anda diameter “C” near the lower end 506 of the container 500. In oneembodiment, the sidewall 502 has a convex shape in which the diameter Bis greater than the diameter C and the diameter A. Diameters A and C maybe roughly equal. The diameter of the container 500 may varycontinuously, e.g., linearly, from diameter A to diameter B to diameterC. The convex outer shape of the sidewall 502 of the container 500 canfacilitate sufficient contact between the surface 530 and a print head,such as print head assembly 152, of the printing module 10, especiallywhen combined with a convex contact element, such as convex roller 72,for pressing the external surface of the side wall 502 into contact withthe print head 152. The container 500 may also be formed from a materialthat is somewhat pliable, so that as the convex side wall 502 is pressedagainst the print head assembly 150 by the rollers 72, 74, the sidewall502 will flex into substantially uninterrupted contact between thesidewall 502 and the print head assembly 150 so as to compensate forslight dimensional irregularities or tolerances that may be inherent inthe process for manufacturing the container 500.

An alternative specific embodiment of a container for use in theprinting module 10 is generally indicated by reference number 540 inFIG. 26. FIG. 26 is a side cross-sectional view of the container 540. Aswith container 500, container 540 is a generally tubular containerhaving a sidewall 542 with a generally circular opening at an upper end544 and a bottom wall 556 near the lower end 546 of the container. Inthe illustrated embodiment of FIG. 26, the bottom wall 556 has a conicalshape. Side wall 542 may include a label (not labeled in FIG. 26) madefrom, e.g., a thermal print medium, secured to the exterior surface ofthe side wall 542 by adhesive or the like.

The container 540 can be made of any suitable material, and ispreferably made from an injection molded plastic, such as polypropylene,or other similar material.

Container 540 may be configured at its upper end 544 to cooperativelyreceive a cap 570 or other closure element for temporarily orpermanently closing off the upper opening of the container 540. Featuresprovided for cooperating with a cap, such as cap 570, include externalthreads that cooperate with mating internal threads of the cap 570.Again, as an alternative, threads may be formed on the interior surfaceof the sidewall 542 and configured to cooperate with mating threadsformed on an exterior surface of the cap, or cooperating flanges,recesses, and/or tabs may be provided to allow the cap 570 to snappedinto place on the container 540.

A ring flange 552 extending circumferentially about the sidewall 542 ofthe container 540 is abutted by a bottom edge 572 of the cap 570.Suitable caps for use with the container 540 include a penetrable capdescribed Kacian et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,612.

An axially depending skirt 558 extends from the side wall 542 below theconical bottom wall 556 at the lower end 546 of the container 540. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the depending skirt 558 comprises an axialextension of the sidewall 542 below the conical bottom wall 546. A lowerend of the skirt 558 defines an annular edge ring 548 that is generallyperpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the container 540, so as todefine a bottom edge upon which the container can be set in an uprightposition on a flat surface, such as a table or counter top.

The container 540 may have a tubular, e.g., cylindrical, configurationwith a generally constant diameter from the upper end 544 to the lowerend 546. In another embodiment, however, the diameter of the sidewall542 of the container 540 may vary along the axial length of thecontainer 540. For example, as shown in FIG. 26 the sidewall 542 may bedefined by a diameter “D” near the upper end 544 of the container, adiameter “E” at an axial midpoint of the sidewall 542, and a diameter“F” near the lower end 546 of the container 540. In one embodiment, thesidewall 542 has a convex shape in which the diameter E is greater thanthe diameter D and the diameter F. Diameters D and F may be roughlyequal. The diameter of the container 540 may vary continuously, e.g.,linearly, from diameter D to diameter E to diameter F.

Sample Processing Instrument

The tube printing module 10 may be incorporated in a sample processinginstrument, such as an automated instrument for transferring materialsfrom one container to another. An exemplary instrument is described inU.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013-0065797, “Automated SampleHandling Instrumentation, Systems, Processes, and Method.” Referring toFIG. 27, an automated instrument 600 of the type in which the printingmodule 10 may be incorporated includes one or more input racks 602, oneor more output racks 604, a robotic arm 630, a sample processing station610, a sample transfer apparatus, such as a sample pipettor 638 or othersubstance transfer device, a robotic pick-and-place mechanism, such as acontainer gripper 640, and one or more incubators 612. In oneembodiment, the sample transfer apparatus comprises a Cavro® AirDisplacement Pipettor available from Tecan Group Ltd. Männedorf,Switzerland. Each input rack 602 carries a plurality of first samplecontainers 606, which may comprise capped sample vials, and a pluralityof second sample containers 608, which may comprise capped sample tubes,for example in a one-to-one arrangement. Each output rack 604 isconfigured to hold a plurality of second sample containers 608, eachafter an amount of sample material is transferred from a first samplecontainer 606 to the second sample container 608 and, optionally, aftertransferring one or more other material(s), e.g., reagents, probes,buffers, etc., to the second sample container and/or incubating thecontents of the second sample container 608.

Each of these components may be located within an instrument housing.

In one embodiment, the instrument 600 is configured to move first samplecontainers 606 and second sample containers 608 between the input racks602, the sample processing station 610, and the output racks 604. Asdescribed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013-0065797, thesample processing station 610 is configured to receive and hold a firstsample container 606, automatically remove a lid from the first samplecontainer 606, position the opened first sample container 606 so that analiquot of sample material can be aspirated from the first samplecontainer 606, replace the cap onto the first sample container 606,receive and grasp a second sample container 608, automatically remove alid from the second sample container 608, position the opened secondsample container 608 so that all or a portion of the aliquot of samplematerial removed from the first sample container 606 can be dispensedinto the second sample container 608, and replace the lid onto thesecond sample container 608.

In an embodiment, the sample pipettor 638 transfers specimens from firstsample containers 606, such as liquid based cytology (LBC) specimencontainers, to second sample containers 608 (e.g., Aptima® transporttubes available from Hologic, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) while alsoperforming liquid level detection and reagent dispensing. The sampleprocessing station 610 preferably is also configured to hold the firstsample containers 606 and second sample containers 608, perform barcodereading, barcode positioning, and specimen mixing, in addition touncapping/recapping of the first sample container 606 and second samplecontainer 608. The incubator(s) 612 may be incorporated into theinstrument 600 and may be, such as in the depicted embodiment, adaptedto hold one or more sample output racks 604 and utilized to incubatesample directly within the second sample container(s) 608 held in theoutput rack(s) 604. LBC samples, such as samples collected in SurePath®vials (Becton Dickinson, Inc., Franklin Lakes, N.J.), often requirereagent addition and heated incubation prior to further processing, suchas a molecular assay. Other LBC sample types, such as those collected inThinPrep® vials (Hologic, Inc., Bedford, Mass.), often do not requireincubation.

More particularly, the sample processing station 610 may include aturntable 650 on which are mounted container holders 644, 646, 648configured to hold individual first sample containers 606 or secondsample containers 608. The sample processing station 610 may beconfigured so that the turntable 650 may rotate to selectively positiona first sample container 606 or second sample container 608. Theturntable 650 and the container holders 644, 646, 648 may rotatesimultaneously about respective axes of rotation to effect mixing of thecontents of the first sample containers 606 and/or second samplecontainers 608 carried in the container holders. The sample processingstation 610 may further include a capping/decapping mechanism 642configured to selectively uncap or recap a first sample container 606 orsecond sample container 608 carried on the turntable 650. The sampleprocessing station further includes a mechanism to effect relativemovement between a container and the capping/decapping mechanism 642 toenable the mechanism 642 to engage the cap of a first sample containeror second sample container. After engaging, e.g., gripping or clamping,the cap, the capping/decapping mechanism rotates to remove the threadedcap from the first sample container or second sample container orreplace a previously-removed threaded cap onto the first samplecontainer or second sample container.

In one embodiment, specimens are tracked within the instrument 600 byproviding matching barcodes on both the first sample container 606 andthe second sample container 608. For example, an onboard barcode scanner614, or other code-reading device, reads the tube barcodes, or othermachine-readable codes, once each tube is placed in the sampleprocessing station 610. System process controls, tube barcodes,time/date stamps, user information, and system status are frequentlystored in an onboard tracking system that may be queried via a barcodeon the first sample container 606 and/or the second sample container608. In various embodiments, a user can manually enter an identifierassociated with the barcode by use of a keyboard or keypad, aninstrument touch screen, or through the use of an optional handheldbarcode scanner to perform such a query. The system software can beadapted to monitor the overall system status, reagent and supplyinventories, processed specimen records, and maintenance.

In one embodiment, the robotic arm 630 is translatable in mutuallyorthogonal X, Y, and Z directions to move first sample containers 606and second sample containers 608 between modules in the instrument 600(e.g., between the sample processing station 610, the input rack(s) 602,the output rack(s) 604, and the printing module 10). In one embodiment,such as that depicted in FIG. 27, the robotic arm 630 includes a firstarm 632 extending in a longitudinal, side-to-side orientation and two ormore robotic arms 634, 636 carried on the first arm 632 and extending ina lateral, front-to-back orientation with respect to the first arm 632.In an embodiment, arms 634, 636 are configured for powered translationin a longitudinal (X-axis) direction along the first arm 632, actuated,for example, by a motorized belt and pulley arrangement, rack andpinion, or threaded rod. In the illustrated embodiment, the robotic arm634 includes the sample pipettor 638, and the robotic arm 636 includes acontainer gripper 640. The sample pipettor 638 is configured for poweredtranslation in a lateral direction (Y-axis) along the robotic arm 634,and the container gripper 640 is configured for powered translation in alateral direction (Y-axis) along the robotic arm 636, each actuated, forexample, by a motorized belt and pulley arrangement, rack and pinion, orthreaded rod. The sample pipettor 638 and the container gripper 640 iseach configured for powered movement in a vertical direction (Z-axis),actuated, for example, by a motorized rack and pinion or threaded rod.

Motors employed for powered movement of components of the robotic arm630 in the X, Y, and Z directions may compriseindependently-controllable stepper motors and may include rotaryencoders. Home and/or limit sensors may be employed along each axis todetect movement to a specified home and/or limit position, respectively.

In a preferred embodiment, the sample pipettor 638 of the robotic arm630 incorporates an air-based pipettor system to aspirate samplematerial from first sample containers 606 and dispense samples andreagents into second sample containers 608.

In alternate embodiments, the sample pipettor 638 and container gripper640 are incorporated on the same robotic arm (e.g., a signal,laterally-extending robotic arm), but each is independently operable inthe Y-axis and Z-axis directions.

One example of a contemplated sample pipettor 638 is a fully-integratedOEM module (e.g., such as that available from Tecan Group Ltd.,Männedorf, Switzerland) capable of dispensing volumes from 10-1000 μLwith a CV of 0.75%. In a preferred embodiment the pipettor is compatiblewith Tecan disposable tips (e.g., 10 μl, 50 μl, 200 μl, 1000 μl, with orwithout filter), and is an air-based-pipettor that does not requiretubing, valves, or syringes. The pipettor head frequently containsadvanced on-board pump diagnostics, self-test, and error reporting.Moreover, a preferred pipettor has configurable liquid level detectionwith an integrated pressure sensor (pLLD), is compatible with externalcapacitive liquid level detection hardware (cLLD), can provide real timestreaming data from one or more pressure sensor(s) for processmonitoring, and has a DiTi (disposable tip) presence sensor and DiTiejection mechanism.

The container gripper module 640 is configured to pick-and-place firstsample containers 606 and second sample containers 608 within theinstrument 600. The container gripper module 640 may employ a chuck orcaliper mounted on a movable boom for movement in the Z direction andconfigured to selectively open and close to grasp and release either afirst sample container 606 or a second sample container 608. In oneembodiment, the gripper mechanism 640 employs a cam disk that opens andcloses the gripper when rotated CW/CCW. In an embodiment, the cam diskis optionally driven by a small high torque DC gear motor or steppermotor. A variety of additional gripper mechanisms are also contemplatedand known in the art.

As explained above, ensuring sample identification accuracy is anotherproblem encountered when automating a sample handling process. Forexample, as a sample is prepared, an aliquot of sample material istransferred from the first sample container 606 to the second samplecontainer 608 by the sample pipettor 638. Therefore, it is important toensure that the sample in the second sample container 608 is accuratelycorrelated with the sample in the first sample container 606 so that thesample is processed according to the proper protocol and that thecorrelation of that sample with the sample source, e.g., the donorpatient, is maintained. To address these issues the instrument 600advantageously tracks the identification of each sample throughoutprocessing, including following the sample as it is transferred from thefirst sample container 606 to the second sample container 608. Oneexemplary method of tracking this information provided herein is toutilize barcodes on both the first sample container 606 and the secondsample container 608. This process maintains sample-to-result positiveidentification tracking.

The instrument 600 may also incorporate a controller, which maycommunicate with and/or be part of the controller 400 of the printingmodule 10 described above. The instrument controller manages andprocesses system-wide activities by delegating, monitoring, andcontrolling specific tasks to instrument sub-components or modules.Exemplary system activities include capping/decapping sample and secondsample containers, vortexing (i.e., mixing), pick-and-place of sampleand second sample containers, pipetting, waste reservoir monitoring,monitoring consumable (e.g., pipette tip) inventory, monitoring samplequeues, maintaining run logs, monitoring process controls, monitoringsystem alarms, etc.

In one embodiment, the laboratory workflow for processing samples, suchas LBC samples, requires that both the first sample container 606 andthe second sample container 608 have a barcode containing sampleidentification information. This requires that the first samplecontainer 606 and second sample container 608 have barcodes that areidentical, at least partially identical, or otherwise correlated so thatindependently-trackable sample identification information is encoded inboth barcodes. This enables downstream analytical instruments, such asinstruments capable of performing sample processing (e.g., isolation andpurification of targeted molecules), hybridization assays, amplificationprocedures, sequencing reactions, and/or immunoassays to communicatewith the laboratory's LIS via the barcoded information provided on thesecond sample container 608.

In this context, barcodes are identical if the same data, e.g., the samealphanumeric sequence, is encoded into each barcode. In variousembodiments, barcodes that are of different formats, e.g., 1-D versus2D, may be consider identical if each has the same data encoded into thebarcode. Barcodes are partially identical if some, but not all, of thesame data is encoded into each barcode.

In one embodiment, a barcode containing or associated withsample-identifying information is applied to the first sample container606. The second sample container 608, in turn, contains no label, ablank label, or a different label. A first sample container 606 is movedby the robotic arm 630 and container gripper 640 from an input rack 602to the sample processing station 610 to be processed. In addition, acorresponding second sample container 608 is transferred from the inputrack 602 to the printing module 10 by the robotic arm 630 and containergripper 640. The instrument 600 then reads barcode on the first samplecontainer 606, for example with the barcode reader 614 in the sampleprocessing station 610. After reading the first sample containerbarcode, the instrument 600 creates a corresponding barcode (withoptional additional metadata in the form of barcode prefixes, suffixes,etc.) directly on the second sample container 608 with the printingmodule 10. In some embodiments, a different, additional barcode or otherhuman and/or machine-readable information is printed on the secondsample container 608 containing additional metadata (e.g., time, volume,type, reagents, error codes, processing information (for example, testsor process to be performed or that have been performed), test results,etc.) related to the processing of the corresponding sample. As will bedescribed in further detail below, the printer may also print a code orgraphic feature indicating that the second sample container has been“used,” and the printer may include a sensor, such as the timing marksensor 310, configured to detect this “vessel-used” mark. After thebarcode is printed onto the second sample container 608, the secondsample container 608 is transferred by the robotic arm 630 and containergripper 640 from the printing module 10 to an output rack 604.

In an alternative application of the printing module 10 as disclosedherein, containers having curved surfaces can be passed between two ormore stations (processing modules) of a process system on a conveyorsystem. One or more of the stations may include a printing module 10 toprint process data to the tube—human and/or machine readable—withsubsequent stations printing additional process data as the containertraverses the process system. Thus, in one embodiment, the entirehistory of the container can be printed on the container, results, errorcodes, process control data, aliquoting data, time-date stamps, nextprocess station to be routed to, material (e.g., patient) ID, labaddress, etc.

Sample Processing Workflow

FIG. 28 is a flow chart showing a work flow 700 for processing a firstsample container and a second sample container in an instrument, such asinstrument 600, which employs a printing module 10.

In step 702, an input rack 602 containing first sample containers 606and second sample containers 608 is placed into an appropriate slot orother receptacle within the instrument 600. Typically, each first samplecontainer 606 will have labels with machine-readable, identifyingindicia, such as barcodes, and may also include human-readable labels.The second sample containers 608 will contain blank or partially blanklabels. Furthermore, each first sample container 606 and each secondsample container 608 will typically be capped by a screw-on threadedcap. In one implementation the first sample containers 606 and secondsample containers 608 will be provided in a one-to-one configuration,meaning that the number of first sample containers 606 and the number ofsecond sample containers 608 on the input rack 602 will be the same.

In step 704, a first sample container 606 is moved from the input rack602 to the sample processing station 610 with the robotic pick-and-placemechanism 640.

In step 706, an empty second sample container 608 is moved from theinput rack 602 to the printing module 10 with the robotic pick-and-placemechanism 640. Note that steps 704 and 706 can be performed in reverseorder.

In step 708, which may occur before or after step 706, themachine-readable label on the first sample container 606 is read. Forexample, a barcode on the sample container 606 may be read by theon-board barcode reader 614. In an alternate embodiment, the barcode orother machine-readable label on the sample container 606 may be readbefore the sample container is moved to the sample processing station610. The information encoded in or acquired from the machine-readablelabel on the sample container 606 is thereafter stored, for example in astorage media accessible to the instrument controller.

In step 710, the printing module 10 prints a machine-readableidentification label on the second sample container 608 that was movedto the printing module in step 706. The machine-readable label may be abarcode corresponding to the barcode or other machine-readable label onthe first sample container 606 and includes information based on theinformation that was acquired and stored from the machine-readable labelon the first sample container 606. As explained above, in oneembodiment, the machine-readable label printed onto the second samplecontainer 608 may be a barcode that is identical to a barcode on thefirst sample container 606 and may have encoded therein anidentification number, such as an accession number, of a patient fromwhom the sample was obtained.

In step 712, after the machine-readable label is printed onto the secondsample container 608, the second sample container 608 is moved from theprinting module 10 to the sample processing station 610 with the roboticpick-and-place mechanism 640.

In step 714, the contents of the first sample container 606 are mixed,for example by simultaneously rotating the turntable 650 and one of thecontainer holder 644, 646, 648 holding the first sample container 602.

In step 716, a cap is automatically removed from the first samplecontainer 606 using the capping/decapping mechanism 642.

In step 718, an aliquot of sample material is removed from the firstsample container 606 using the sample pipettor 638.

In step 720, the cap is replaced onto the first sample container 606using the capping/decapping mechanism 642.

In step 722, a cap is automatically removed from the second samplecontainer 608 using the capping/decapping mechanism 642.

In step 724, the aliquot of sample material is dispensed into the secondsample container 608 using the sample pipettor 638.

In step 726, the cap is replaced onto the second sample container 608using the capping/decapping mechanism 642.

In step 728, the second sample container 608 is moved from the sampleprocessing station 610 to an output rack 604 using the roboticpick-and-place mechanism 640. The output rack will have been previouslyplaced in the instrument 600 in an appropriate slot or other receptacle,for example at the time of set up when one or more input rack holdingfirst sample containers and second sample containers are placed in theinstrument.

In an optional step, the second sample container may first be moved toan incubator where it remains for a predetermined dwell time or whereall or some portion of the output rack 640 holding the second samplecontainer 608 is incubated.

In step 730, the first sample container 606 is moved from the sampleprocessing station 610 back to the input rack 602 using the roboticpick-and-place mechanism 640.

After all the first sample containers on the input rack have beenprocessed and all second sample containers containing an aliquot ofsample material are placed on an output rack, the output rack may beremoved from the instrument 600 for further processing of the contentsof each second sample container.

Printer Label and Timing Mark

An embodiment of a tube printer label configured to be placed on thesurface 14 of a tube 12 is indicated by reference number 800 in FIG. 29.Label 800 may comprise a paper label, such as thermal print paper,secured to the tube 12 by an adhesive such that line 802 is generallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube. The label may extendcompletely around the tube, with line 802 defining an area 804 that isoverlapped by the label. Alternatively, label 800 may be printed on orotherwise integrally formed on a surface of the tube.

Tube printer label 800 may include areas 806, 808, which includepre-printed text and/or graphic labeling (e.g., “Artwork”), apre-printed timing mark 810 extending between ends (i) and (ii), aprintable area 812 between a leading edge or image position (iv)starting at a predefined distance from the timing mark 810 and ending ata trailing edge (vi) on which text and/or graphic indicia, such as abarcode or other machine-readable indicia, are printed by the printingmodule 10, and a timing mark modifier 814 that is printed onto the label800 by the printing module 10 as an indicator for later detection thatthe tube has been previously printed on. In the illustrated embodiment,the timing mark modifier 814 is an extension that increases at least onedimension, e.g. length, of the timing mark 810. In other embodiments,the timing mark modifier decreases at least one dimension of the timingmark 810, such as length. In still other embodiments, the timing markmodifier does not directly alter the timing mark, but instead is anadditional, discrete mark that is printed onto the label 800 by theprinting module 10 as an indicator for later detection that the tube hasbeen previously printed on. In an embodiment, the printable area 812 mayhave a portion dedicated to machine-readable indicia, such as the“Barcode” position between (v) and (vi). As shown in FIG. 29, the widthof the timing mark modifier 814 in the horizontal direction in FIG. 29(which corresponds to a vertical or longitudinal direction when thelabel is placed on an upright tube 12) is greater than the width of thetiming mark 810. This is to account for manufacturing tolerances in therelative positons of the sensor 310 and/or the print head 152 and toensure that some portion of the timing mark modifier 814 will bedetected by the sensor 310.

Timing mark 810 and timing mark extension 814 are preferably readilydetectable by the sensor 310. If the sensor 310 is a reflectance sensorand the label background is a light color (e.g., white), the timing mark810 and the timing mark extension 814 are preferably solid, dark colors(e.g., black) so as to provide a clear, readily-detectable distinctionbetween the marks and the background portions of the label.

FIG. 30 shows the relative positions of the print head 152, the timingmark sensor 310, and the tube 12. In an embodiment, the rotationassembly 260 rotates the tube 12 clockwise, thereby placing the printhead 152 rotationally ahead of the sensor 310 during printing andscanning. The positions of the timing mark 810, the timing mark modifier814, and the printable area 812 on the tube 12 are shown. The remainingsurface areas of the label 800 are typically not used during a normalprint process.

In an embodiment, the sensor 310 is configured to measure thereflectance of the label 800 on a tube 12 that is currently positionedin front of the sensor 310. An unprinted (white) area generates adetectably higher sensor value (reflectance) compared to the pre-printedtiming mark 810, and thus the controller 400 can detect from the outputof the sensor when the timing mark 810 is passing in front of the sensor310.

FIG. 31 shows an exemplary output waveform of the sensor 310 scanning alabel 800—prior to printing any indicia onto the label—as a portion ofthe label 800 passes by the sensor 310. The waveform shown in FIG. 31represents the output from the sensor 310, such as a plurality ofsequentially recorded data points, over a little more than onerevolution of the tube 12, and the locations of the timing mark 810 andthe printable area 812 are shown in the bar plot above the waveform.Since this is a pre-print scan, the timing mark modifier 814 has not yetbeen printed on the label 800. In an embodiment, the output of thesensor 310 is in the form of discrete values recorded at specifiedintervals. For example, in one embodiment, the sensor is sampled (i.e.,the sensor value is recorded) every half step of motor 300 during therotation of the tube 12 by the container rotating assembly 260.

As shown, for example, in FIG. 12, the timing mark sensor 310 is locatedproximate a lower end of the tube 12 positioned within the printingmodule 10 (i.e., near the carousel 261). In an embodiment, the label 800is applied to the outer surface of the tube 12 so that the left edge ofthe label 800 (as shown in FIG. 29) is proximate the lower end of thetube 12. Accordingly, the timing mark 810, the timing mark modifier 814(when printed), and the left side (lower end) of the printable area 812will pass in front of the sensor 310 and be detected during the rotationof the tube 12. Areas 806 and 808, which do not extend to the lower endof the label 800 (left side of label 800 in FIG. 29), will not passbefore the sensor 310 and will not be detected.

Referring again to FIG. 31, the timing mark 810 can be seen at part A ofthe waveform between samples 200 and 500 (and again after sample 2000)where the reflectance measured by the sensor 310 drops appreciably dueto the low reflectance of the timing mark 810. The leading and trailingedges of the timing mark 810 relative to the direction of rotation(points (i) and (ii) in FIG. 29) are represented by downslope portion Band upslope portion C, respectively, of the waveform. A bump D in thewaveform between samples 1500 and 1800 is caused by the sensor 310detecting an increase in reflectance adjacent the label edge.

The printing process begins with determining with the sensor 310 whethera tube 12 has been inserted into the printing module 10. In anembodiment, the determination of whether a tube is present in theprinting module 10 is based on the value registered by the senor 310. Asensor value that is lower than a specified threshold, which may be apredefined control parameter stored in memory 404, indicates that notube is present, and a sensor value that is greater than or equal to thethreshold indicates a tube is present. A specified tube-present, orprint-surface-present, threshold can be determined empirically.

If a tube 12 is present within the module 10, the tube is then rotatedby a full revolution by the container rotating assembly 260 to allowpivoting gripper assemblies 280 to fully engage the tube 12 and to urgethe tube to settle into its correct position. A sensor luminancecalibration may be performed during this first rotation to adjust theluminance of the sensor 310 to account for variations between differentsensors and labels (e.g., darkness of the timing mark 810, shininess ofthe paper, etc.) and to account for degradation of sensor performancewith age. In one embodiment, the calibration process starts with thesensor 310 set at a brightness level for which the sensor output isexpected to be saturated, and then the tube is rotated. Upper and loweroutput limits of the sensor output waveform are predefined controlparameters stored in memory 404. As the tube is rotated, the sensorbrightness is reduced if the sensor output exceeds the predefined upperoutput limit of the tube sensor waveform (e.g., luminance value isdecreased by 0.1% from the current value with each half step of themotor 300), or the sensor brightness is increased if the sensor outputis less than the predefined lower output limit. The sensor brightness isset so that the sensor output is between the upper and lower outputlimits throughout the rotation of the tube 12.

In various embodiments incorporating a reflectance sensor for the sensor310, the illumination source (e.g., an LED) of the sensor is energizedonly when needed and only with as much power as is necessary for a givenoperation.

The next step is to perform a seek start procedure to find the timingmark 810 on the label 800 and to rotate the tube 12 from the timing markto a print start position.

The seek start procedure includes two steps. The first step is to findthe position of the timing mark 810 and then determine at least onedimension of the timing mark, such as its circumferential length. Thesecond step is to rotate the tube 12 to a print start position.

During the first step, the rotation assembly 260 rotates the tube 12,and the controller 400 monitors the output of the sensor 310 to locatefalling and rising values within the sensor output waveform (sections Band C of the waveform shown in FIG. 31), marking the start and the end,respectively, of the timing mark 810 (and possibly the timing markmodifier 814, if present). The falling and rising edges of the sensoroutput waveform are located by calculating the difference between thepresent output sample of the sensor 310 and an output sample that wascollected at a predefined earlier period (e.g., a specified number ofmotor steps or samples earlier, such as 128 steps) and comparing thedifference between the two output samples to a predefined timing markthreshold (e.g., 200). The predefined earlier period (i.e., to whichearlier sample is the present sample compared) and the predefined timingmark threshold may be predefined control parameters stored in memory404. That is, if the sensor output between two samples separated by thespecified time period drops by an amount exceeding the threshold, thisabrupt transition is taken as an indication that the sensor has passedover the leading edge (i) of the timing mark 810, and the controllercorrelates the rotational position coinciding with the drop in output asthe relative position of the leading edge of the timing mark 810.Similarly, if the sensor output rises by an amount exceeding thethreshold, this is taken as an indication that the sensor has passedover the trailing edge (ii) of the timing mark 810 (or the trailing edge(iii) of the timing mark modifier 814), and the controller 400correlates the rotational position coinciding with the rise in output asthe position of the trailing edge of the timing mark 810, or therotational position of the trailing edge of the timing mark modifier814.

FIG. 32 illustrates an exemplary algorithm for computing the length ofthe timing mark 810 (and possibly the timing mark modifier 814) from thewaveform data. FIG. 32 shows an example sensor waveform (top curve) inthe vicinity of the timing mark portion of the waveform (portions A, B,C in FIG. 31) and the results of the difference calculation (lowercurve). The rectangles define “filters” for computing the difference anddetermining when the difference exceeds a threshold (long-dashed linesindicating the filter for detecting the beginning of a transition,short-dashed lines indicating the filter for detecting the end of atransition). The width of the filter corresponds to the predefinedearlier period (e.g., 128 samples), and the height corresponds to thetiming mark threshold value (e.g., ±200).

The difference calculation, as shown in the lower curve in FIG. 32,identifies four conditions that are detected: (a) the filter result(i.e., difference between samples separated by the predefined period)falls under the negative timing mark threshold, (b) the filter resultrises over the negative timing mark threshold, (c) the filter resultrises over the positive timing mark threshold, and (d) the filter resultfalls back under the positive timing mark threshold. These four pointsare used to calculate the length of the timing mark 810 (and possiblythe timing mark modifier 814) as detected by the sensor 310 by takingthe distance between a point (f) bisecting points (c) and (d) and apoint (e) bisecting points (a) and (b). The calculated length betweenpoints (f) and (e) is used to determine whether the label 800 of thetube 12 includes a printed timing mark modifier 814, indicating that thetube has been previously used and the label printed on, to therebyprevent an already used (and printed on) tube from being reused. Thelength of the timing mark 810 and the length of the timing mark modifier814 are control parameters stored in memory 404. In an exemplaryembodiment, the length of the timing mark 810 is 7.0 mm, and thetrailing edge (iii) of the timing mark modifier 814 extends 2.0 mmbeyond the trailing edge (ii) of the timing mark 810. Thus, in such anembodiment, if the distance between points (f) and (e) in the waveform,is approximately the length of the timing mark 810 (e.g., 7.0 mm), thecontroller determines that the tube 12 has not been previously used. Onthe other hand, if the distance between points (f) and (e) in thewaveform is approximately equal to the length of the combination of thetiming mark 810 and the timing mark modifier 814 (e.g., 9.0 mm), thecontroller determines that the tube 12 has been previously used. In anembodiment, a single length threshold may be defined (e.g., 8.0 mm inthe example above, which is the average of 7.0 mm and 9.0 mm), and acalculated timing mark length below the length threshold is deemed toindicate an un-used tube, and a calculated timing mark length above thelength threshold is deemed to indicate a previously-used tube.

Assuming the tube has not been previously used and printed on, point (f)identifies the position of the trailing edge (ii) of the timing mark 810within the waveform, and the controller 400 correlates the rotationalposition coinciding with that point.

After determining the position of the trailing edge of the timing mark810, in the second step of the seek start procedure, tube 12 is rotatedby the container rotating assembly 260 by a specified distance (e.g.,number of motor steps) so as to place the sensor 310 at a predefined,print start position, such as the far edge of the label 800 (the loweredge of the label 800 as oriented in FIG. 29). In an embodiment, thecontrol algorithm needs to account for the distance the motor 300requires to decelerate at the end of this step, so that the amount ofrotation commanded (e.g., the number of motor steps) is less than theamount of rotation required to place the tube in the print startposition. For example, assuming a distance of 28.5 mm from the trailingedge (ii) of the timing mark 810 to the print start position, a motorvelocity of 60 rad/s, and a motor deceleration of 1000 rad/s², thecommanded distance of (constant velocity) movement needs to be 2.4 mmless than the actual required distance of 28.5 mm, leading to a 26.1 mmmovement command.

At this stage, the tube is rotationally positioned at its print startposition with respect to the sensor 310 and the print head 152, and thebracket expander 220 is activated to close the expandable printingstation 50. After the printing station is closed, the print process isperformed, which, in general, includes three sub-processes: re-locatingthe timing mark 810, printing the timing mark modifier 814, and printingthe image (e.g., a barcode) on the printable area 812.

More specifically, the print process consists of seven steps. Theseseven steps (1)-(7) are illustrated in FIG. 33, which shows the sensorwaveform, the velocity of the motor 300, and five snapshots—(j), (k),(l), (m), (n)—of the sensor 310, the print head 152, and the tube 12throughout the print process.

In step (1), the motor 300 accelerates to a constant velocity, and thewaveform is relatively flat, since, as shown in part (j) of FIG. 33, thesensor 310 is at the print start position, which is a portion of thelabel 800 preceding the timing mark 810. Note also that in theillustrated embodiment, the print head 152 is disposed over the timingmark 810 at this instant.

Step (2) begins when motor 300 reaches constant speed at which time thecontroller 400 commands the print head 152 to start printing the timingmark modifier 814 (over the timing mark 810). In an embodiment, step (2)ends when the sensor difference signal (filtered sensor waveform) fallsfor the first time under the negative timing mark threshold (see point(a) in FIG. 32). As shown in part (k) of FIG. 33, at the end of step(2), the timing mark 810 begins to pass before the sensor 310 (which isthe point at which the waveform falls below the negative timing markthreshold), and the print head begins to print a portion of the timingmark modifier 814 that extends beyond the trailing edge of the timingmark 810.

In an embodiment, during step (3), after the detection of the leadingedge of the timing mark 810 signaling the end of step (2), the printhead 152 continues to print the remainder of the timing mark modifier814. Step (3) is concluded when the timing mark printing is complete.The duration of step (3) depends on the length of the extension mark814—which controls the amount of relative movement between the printhead 152 and the label 800 during step (3)—and a calibration value thatcompensates for variations in relative positions between the tube sensorand the print head. The length of the extension mark 814 may bepredefined control parameters stored in memory 404. The calibrationvalue can be computed for a given module—as described below—and thenstored in memory 404.

Thus, the timing mark modifier 814 is printed over first and secondperiods defined by steps (2) and (3), respectively. The duration of step(2) (first period) is not controlled by a predetermined number of stepsby motor 300, but is, instead, controlled by the detection of theleading edge of the timing mark 810. The duration of step (3) (secondperiod) depends on the amount of relative movement between the printhead 152 and the label 800 during step (3) required to the print thedesired length of the extension mark 814. The first period is therebycontrolled by the detection of the timing mark. And the second period isthereby controlled by a motor command for a specified number of motorsteps to effect the necessary amount of relative movement.

In step (4), the print head 152 is deactivated while the tube 12continues to rotate to effect a predetermined amount of relativemovement between the print head 152 and the label to generate a gap ofno printed content between the trailing edge (iii) of the timing markmodifier 814 and the next printed content, which may be thehuman-readable text and the barcode image beginning in the printablearea 812.

During step (5), the print head 152 is commanded to print the image(e.g., human-readable text and/or the barcode) on the printable area812. The length of step (5)—and the circumferential length of theimage—are determined by the amount of tube rotation while the print head152 is activated. This rotation moves the label by a specified imagedistance with respect to the print head 152 and may be controlled bycommanding a number of steps of motor 300, which may be a predefinedcontrol parameter stored in memory 404, while the print head 152 isactivated. As shown in part (1) of FIG. 33, at the beginning of step(5), the print head 152 is positioned at the beginning of the printablearea 812, and the sensor 310 is roughly aligned with the middle of thetiming mark 810. As shown in part (m) of FIG. 33, at the end of step(5), the print head 152 is positioned at the end of the printable area812, and the sensor 310 is roughly aligned with the middle of theprintable area 812. As shown in the portion of the sensor waveformduring step (5), the waveform reaches a peak at point E corresponding tothe gap (region of maximum reflectance) between the trailing edge (iii)of the timing mark modifier 814 and the printed content of the printablearea 812 created during step (4). Following the peak at point E, thewaveform drops at F to a lower, relatively constant level at G as thesensor 310 passes over the printable area 812 on which the print head152 has just printed a barcode or other image that will reduce thereflectance and result in a lower value of the waveform.

The image that is printed may be wholly or partially stored in systemmemory 404. The image may be a previously-stored image that is retrievedfrom memory 404 for each tube on which it is to be printed or it may betemporarily stored from an input received just prior to printing, forexample as an input from onboard barcode reader 614 after reading anidentification barcode on a first sample container 606 (see steps 708,710 of FIG. 28).

Step (5) concludes after the tube has rotated so as to move the labelthe specified image distance with respect to the print head 152 whilethe print head 152 is activated so as to form a complete image.

Step (6) begins after the image is printed and the print head 152 isdeactivated. In step (6) the tube continues to be rotated at constantspeed with the print head deactivated to create a gap adjacent the imageformed in the printable area 812. In step (7) the motor 300 deceleratesto a stop to conclude the printing process.

After printing is complete, the bracket expander 220 is activated toopen the expandable printing station 50. The final step is to check forpossible slippage of the tube 12 with respect to the pivoting gripperassemblies 280 during printing.

Slippage detection is performed by checking for the reoccurrence of thestart of the timing mark 810. The position of this transition is ameasure for the slippage that occurred during the print process(including any slippage that might occur while opening the expandableprinting station 50). As shown in part (n) of FIG. 33, at the conclusionof the printing process, i.e., at the end of step (7), the sensor 310 islocated at or near the trailing edge (vi) of the printable area 812. Thedistance between the trailing edge and the beginning of the timing mark810 is known from the label geometry and may be a control parameterstored in memory 404. The sensor 310 and the label 800 are movedrelative to each other, e.g., the tube 12 is rotated, and the waveformis monitored until the sensor difference signal (filtered sensorwaveform) falls for the first time under the negative timing markthreshold (point (a) in FIG. 32), to indicate that the leading edge (i)of the timing mark 810 has been encountered. If the distance that thetube rotates before the timing mark 810 is encountered is within apredefined range of the known distance (e.g., number of motor steps)between the trailing edge (vi) of the printable area 812 and the leadingedge (i) of the timing mark 810, then the tube is deemed to have rotatedproperly during the printing process. On the other hand, if the distancethat the tube rotates before the timing mark is detected is not withinthe predefined range of the known distance between the printable area812 and the timing mark 810, meaning that the printable area 812 is notthe correct width, then the tube is deemed to have slipped during theprinting process.

The process described above is used to detect slippage after printing bymeasuring the distance between the pintable area 812 and the timing mark810. In addition, before printing is complete, slippage may be detectedwhen the timing mark is re-synchronized at the beginning of the printingprocess by measuring the distance between the print start position(e.g., the edge of the label 800) and the timing mark 810. If thedistance between the print start position and the timing mark 810—i.e.,the distance covered during steps (1) and (2) in the process illustratedin FIG. 33—is not within a predefined range of the expected distance, itis possible that the tube has slipped, perhaps when the expandableprinting station 50 was closed. The predefined range may be a controlparameter stored in memory 404.

An optional additional step, after checking for slippage, is to rotatethe tube 12 to a final orientation facing the just-printed image to theopposite side of the tube 12 from the print head 152, which may be doneto avoid an additional barcode centering process after the tube isremoved from the printing module 10.

In various embodiments incorporating a reflectance detector for thesensor 310, the illumination source (e.g., an LED) of the sensor isenergized only when needed and only with as much power as is necessaryfor a given operation. Thus, for example, the illumination source may beenergized while confirming the presence of the tube, while locating andmeasuring the timing mark, while locating and measuring the timing markmodifier, or during slippage detection. At other times when the sensor310 is not being used, the illumination source is not energized so as toextend the life of the illumination source and improve the reliabilityof the sensor 310.

In an embodiment, a sensor calibration procedure is performed to computethe calibration value used to compensate for variations in the relativepositions of the sensor 310 and the print head 152. Due to manufacturingtolerances, the rotational distance between the sensor 310 and the printhead 152 may vary from one printing module 10 to another. To determinethe rotational distance between the sensor 310 and the print head 152for a particular module 10, a tube 12 is placed into the module 10, andthe timing mark modifier 814 is printed—without other parts of theimage, such as the barcode—using the print process described above inconnection with FIG. 33. Next, the length of the printed timing markmodifier 814 is computed from the waveform using the process describedabove in connection with FIG. 32, and this value is compared to theexpected length of the timing mark modifier 814. Any variation betweenthe measured and expected lengths of the timing mark modifier, due tothe sensor 310 and print head 152 being closer or further apart thanexpected, may be used to calculate a calibration value. Typically, therelative positions of print head 152 and sensor 310 are expected to beconstant over the lifespan of the printing module 10 (not accounting forpotential maintenance). Thus, in an embodiment, the sensor calibrationprocess is executed once during manufacturing or installation.

As an alternative to the dark timing mark 810 and timing mark modifier814 described above, if the label background is dark in color, thetiming mark 810 may be formed of a solid, light color to provide adetectable distinction. For example, the timing mark may take the formof a white mark, such as a white square, rectangle, bar, etc., formed ona dark band extending across the label (i.e., surrounding the tube 12).In the case of a white timing mark, the timing mark modifier may notcomprise an overlapping mark that extends the circumferential length ofthe timing mark, such as timing mark modifier 814 which extends thelength of timing mark 810, but instead may comprise a dark markoverlapping the white timing mark so as to detectably reduce the lengthof the timing mark.

It can be appreciated that in such an embodiment in which the timingmark is lighter than its surroundings, the waveform generated by thetiming mark sensor 310 would essentially be the inverse of the waveformshown in FIG. 31. Transitions in the waveform indicating the leading andtrailing edges of the timing mark would be indicated by leading jump inthe waveform that exceeds a positive threshold and a trailing drop inthe waveform that falls below a negative threshold.

Yet another alternative timing mark may comprise a cut-out formed in thelabel where the optical properties, e.g., reflectance, of the materialunderlying the label and visible through the cut-out are different thanthe remainder of the label so that the hole can be detected by thetiming mark sensor. Alternatively, the edges of a cut-out may bedetectable by a suitably sensitive contact sensor. The print startposition can located at a specified distance from the cut-out, asdescribed above, and slippage detection can be performed by confirmingthe correct distance between the end of the printed image and thecut-out, as also described above. A separate, optically-detectabletiming mark modifier can be printed at a predefined location relative tothe cut-out, and the system can confirm that a tube has not beenpreviously printed on by confirming the absence of a timing markmodifier prior to printing.

Yet another alternative timing mark may comprise a physical featureformed in the side of the tube, such as a raised bump or a recess, whichis detectable by a mechanical sensor, such as a contact sensor. For sucha timing mark formed on the tube itself, care must be taken to apply aprintable label in the proper position with respect to the timing markso as to ensure a proper location of the printed image on the label. Theprint start position can located at a specified distance from thephysical feature, as described above, and slippage detection can beperformed by confirming the correct distance between the end of theprinted image and the physical feature, as also described above. Aseparate, optically-detectable timing mark modifier can be printed at apredefined location relative to the physical feature, and the system canconfirm that a tube has not been previously printed on by confirming theabsence of a timing mark modifier prior to printing.

Yet another alternative to timing mark 810 may comprise encoder ticksformed across the label so as to extend circumferentially around thetube. One of the encoder ticks may be formed differently than the otherencoder ticks, e.g., longer, wider, narrower, etc., so as to define a“home” encoder tick that functions as the timing mark. The remainingticks, being distributed at a known angular spacing, can provideposition information relative to the home encoder tick simply bycounting the ticks from the home tick using an incremental encoder.

The print start position can be found by counting a specified number ofencoder ticks from the home tick. In addition, slippage detection can beperformed while the image is being printed by ensuring that correctnumber of encoder ticks have passed the sensor when the image iscomplete. A separate, optically-detectable timing mark modifier can beprinted at a predefined location—as determined from encoder ticks, andthe system can confirm that a tube has not been previously printed on byconfirming the absence of a timing mark modifier prior to printing.

Sensor 310 may be replaced or supplemented by a machine vision-basedsensor that detects specific features on the label for providingrelative locations on the label. Machine-vision based sensors can beused in an incremental encoder system to detect and count encoder ticks.Alternatively, machine-vision sensors can be used in an absolute encodersystem in which encoder marks are sequentially labeled, e.g.,incrementally numbered, and such sequential labels can be read by amachine-vision camera to provide absolute locations on the label.

In yet another alternative to timing mark 810, the timing mark sensor isa barcode reader, and the timing mark and the timing mark modifier maycomprise 2-D and/or 1-D barcodes. Such an alternative is shown in FIG.35 in which the timing mark 810′ is a 2-D barcode and the timing markmodifier 814′ is a 1-D barcode. FIG. 35 is exemplary; either the timingmark or the timing mark modifier could be a 2-D barcode or a 1-Dbarcode.

A 2-D barcode reader is able to identify a particular coordinate on the2-D barcode, e.g., the origin (at the leading edge of the barcode)and/or a coordinate point on the trailing edge, and thus a specificlocation on the label can be identified by reading timing mark 810′without having to interpret positive and negative changes in a waveformas described above.

A 1-D barcode and barcode reader are also able to provide accuratelocation information without requiring analysis of a waveform. As thelabel is moved with respect to the barcode reader, the location at whichthe barcode reader is first able to read the 1-D barcode defines theleading edge of the barcode, and the last location at which the barcodereader is able to read the barcode defines the trailing edge of thebarcode.

Using the leading edge position of the timing mark (either as determinedby a leading edge coordinate of a 2-D barcode or as determined by theleading edge of a 1-D barcode), the print start position can bedetermined, as described above, and post-printing slippage detection canbe performed, as described above. Using the leading and trailing edgesof the timing mark modifier, pre-printing slippage detection can beperformed as described above.

In addition, using a barcode reader that is within the printing module10, the image formed on the label can read to ensure it is of adequatelyreadable quality before the tube 12 is removed from the module.

In an embodiment, the printing module 10 will be configured to operatein an “alternate print” mode whereby the printing module will print analternate image on the label 800 even if a tube 12 could not be detectedor the timing mark 810 could not be found (e.g., because of amalfunctioning sensor 310). Thus, in the event of a sensor malfunction,it will not always be necessary to shut down the printing module 10until the senor can be repaired.

When the controller of the instrument 600 “knows” a tube 12 was placedinto the printing module 10, for example, after step 706 of work flow700 shown in FIG. 28, but the presence of the tube cannot be confirmedby the sensor 310 or if the presence of the tube can be confirmed butthe timing mark 810 cannot be detected by the sensor 310, the printingmodule 10 will operate in alternate print mode and print an alternate,readable image on the tube so that the tube can thereafter be processedby the instrument 600. On the other hand, if a previously-used tubehaving a barcode is placed in the module 10, and the timing markmodifier is not detected, e.g., because the sensor 310 ismalfunctioning, it is important that the tube not be re-used even if anew barcode is printed on the tube. Thus, in various embodiments, thesample processing station 610 is configured to scan for images atmultiple locations on the tube 12 so that it can detect an image made inthe printable area 812 as well as images printed elsewhere on the label800. If multiple, inconsistent barcodes are detected, processing may beterminated for that tube.

As shown in FIG. 34, to allow both the old barcode made in the printablearea 812 and new barcodes to be scanned and detected at the sampleprocessing station 610, an alternate print mode does not print thenormal image (e.g., human-readable label and barcode) in the printablearea 812 of the label 800, which could potentially lead to overprintingthe previously-printed image. Instead, during alternate print mode, theprint head 152 is selectively activated during relative movement betweenthe print head 152 and the label 800 to print smaller, alternate imageson different portions of the label 800. The alternate images maycomprise one or more human-readable labels 816 a, 816 b, 816 c and/orone or more machine-readable images (e.g., 1-D or 2D barcodes) 818 a,818 b, 818 c that are the same images that would have been printed inthe printable area 812 had the printer module functioned normally. In anembodiment, as shown in FIG. 34, labels 816 a-c and/or barcodes 818 a-care smaller than an image printed in the printable area 812 and arepreferably printed in multiple locations so that at least one of theimages 816/818 is printed on an unprinted (e.g., white) portion of thelabel 800 outside the printable area 812. The pattern of the image(s)816/818 (i.e., number, location, size, orientation, spacing, etc.) canbe defined to account for the configuration of the label 800 and thelocation of other elements, such as the timing mark 810, areas 806, 808,and printable area 812. Although alternate images 816/818 in FIG. 34 arealigned (vertically as shown in FIG. 34, horizontally as applied to atube 12), the alternate images 816/818 need not be so-aligned and couldbe printed at different locations depending on the configuration of thelabel 800, for example, so as to increase the likelihood that analternate image will be printed on an unprinted area.

In an embodiment, the alternate print mode operates as follows.

In a first step, upon receiving a signal that the pick and placemechanism 640 has placed a tube 12 into the printing module 10 (afterstep 707 in FIG. 28 or step 454 in FIG. 21), the controller transmits asignal (e.g. a power and/or command signal) to the tube present sensor310 to confirm the presence of the tube in the printing module 10. Inother words, the system attempts to perform step 456 in FIG. 21.

In a conditional next step, if the tube present sensor 310 fails togenerate a signal confirming the presence of the tube 12 in the printingmodule 10, e.g. because of a malfunction of the tube present sensor, thecontroller retrieves the image to be printed from memory 404 andtransmits an alternate print command (e.g., power and/or controlcommand) to the rotating assembly 260 to rotate the tube and to theprint head 152 to selectively activate the print head so as to print thealternate images at multiple locations on the tube.

In an alternate conditional step, if the tube present sensor 310generates a signal confirming the presence of the tube in the printingmodule 10, the controller transmits a command to the rotating assembly260 and the timing mark sensor 315 (which may be the same sensor as tubepresent sensor 310) to perform a timing mark location procedure, such asa procedure described above.

In a conditional next step, if the timing mark sensor 315/310 fails togenerate a signal indicating the detection and location of a timing markon the tube, e.g. because of a malfunction of the timing mark sensor,the controller transmits the alternate print command to the rotatingassembly 260 and to the printer 152 to print the alternate images atmultiple locations on the tube.

In this embodiment, in the first instance, if the sensor fails toconfirm the presence of the tube, there is no need to scan for thelocation of the timing mark, and the alternate images are then printedafter fail to detect the presence of the tube. In the second instance,if the senor is able to confirm the presence of the tube, but is unableto detect the location of the timing mark, the alternate images areprinted after the failure to locate the timing mark.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoingdescription of a printing control process, including the use of a timingmark sensor, a printer label, a timing mark, and a timing mark modifieris not exclusively applicable to printing on a curved surface, such astube 12. Instead, the printing control process may be implemented in anymethod for controlling an automated printing process by which a printhead prints an image onto predetermined printable area of a label duringrelative movement between the print head and the label.

Exemplary Embodiments

The following embodiments are encompassed by the foregoing disclosure.

Embodiment 1: An apparatus for printing on a curved surface of anarticle comprising:

(A) an expandable printing mechanism including a print head andconfigured and controlled to be selectively:

(1) expanded to an open configuration for enabling an article having acurved surface on which information is to be printed to be receivedwithin or removed from the apparatus, and

(2) contracted to a printing configuration placing the curved surface ofan article received within the apparatus in operative position withrespect to the print head and maintaining the curved surface in anoperative printing position with respect to the print head duringrelative movement of the curved surface with respect to the print head;and

(B) an article moving assembly configured and controlled to:

(1) grasp an article received within the apparatus and effect relativemovement between the curved surface of the article and the print headwhen the expandable printing mechanism is in the printing configuration,and

(2) release the article when the expandable printing mechanism is in theopen configuration, thereby allowing the article to be removed from theapparatus.

Embodiment 2: The apparatus of Embodiment 1, further comprising ahousing at least partially enclosing the expandable printing mechanismand the article moving assembly.

Embodiment 3: The apparatus of Embodiment 2, further including anopening formed in the housing through which an article having a curvedsurface on which information is to be printed can be received within orremoved from the apparatus.

Embodiment 4: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, whereinthe expandable printing mechanism comprises:

-   -   a first support element having one or more contact element(s)        operatively supported thereon; and    -   a second support element supporting the print head thereon,

wherein the first support element and the second support element areconfigured for relative movement with respect to each other between theopen configuration of the expandable printing mechanism and the printingconfiguration of the expandable printing mechanism, and wherein thecontact element(s) are configured to contact an article received withinthe apparatus to hold the curved surface in the operative position withrespect to the print head when the expandable printing mechanism is inthe printing configuration.

Embodiment 5: The apparatus of Embodiment 4, wherein the one or morecontact elements comprise a first roller and a second roller rotatablymounted to the first support element.

Embodiment 6: The apparatus of Embodiment 4 or 5, further comprising anexpander mechanism configured to effect relative movement of the firstand second support elements between the open configuration and theprinting configuration.

Embodiment 7: The apparatus of Embodiment 5 or 6, wherein the firstroller is axially elongated, and the second roller comprises, extendingaxially along the length of the roller, a first head portion that is ofa first diameter, an extension portion that is of a second diameter thatis less than the first diameter, and a second head portion that is of athird diameter that is greater than the second diameter.

Embodiment 8: The apparatus of Embodiment 7, wherein the third diameteris equal to the first diameter.

Embodiment 9: The apparatus of Embodiment 7 or 8, wherein the firstroller is cylindrical.

Embodiment 10: The apparatus of Embodiment 7 or 8, wherein the firstroller has a varying diameter that increases from each axial end of theroller to the axial middle of the roller.

Embodiment 11: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 5 to 10, wherein:

the first support element comprises a roller bracket having an upperflange, a lower flange, and a web extending between the upper and lowerflanges, and wherein the first roller and the second roller arerotatably mounted between the first and second flanges;

the second support element comprises a print head bracket having anupper flange, a lower flange, and a web extending between the upper andlower flanges, the roller bracket and the print head bracket beingoriented such that the webs of the roller bracket and the print headbracket are generally parallel to one another; and

the roller bracket and the print head bracket are pivotably mounted to acommon pivot shaft so that the roller bracket and the print head bracketare pivotable with respect to each other in a hinge-wise fashion aboutthe pivot shaft between the open configuration and the printingconfiguration.

Embodiment 12: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 6 to 11, wherein:

-   -   the first and second support elements are pivotably mounted to a        common pivot shaft so that the first and second support elements        are pivotable with respect to each other in a hinge-wise fashion        about the pivot shaft between the open configuration and the        printing configuration, and wherein the expander mechanism        comprises:    -   a driven shaft located between the first and second support        elements, the driven shaft being generally parallel to the pivot        shaft; and    -   a cam element attached to and rotatable with the driven shaft        and in contact with both the first and second support elements,        wherein the cam element has a varying dimension so that in one        orientation of the cam element, portions of the cam element        contacting the first and second support elements hold the first        and second support elements apart by a first distance        corresponding to the open configuration of the expandable        printing mechanism and in another orientation of the cam        element, portions of the cam element contacting the first and        second support elements hold the first and second support        elements apart by a second distance corresponding to the        printing configuration of the expandable printing mechanism.

Embodiment 13: The apparatus of Embodiment 12, wherein the cam elementcomprises a cam disc fixed to the driven shaft and coaxial therewith,the cam disc having a variable radius so that in a first rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a first radiusare in contact with the first and second support elements and holdingthe first and second support elements apart by the first distancecorresponding to the open configuration, and in a second rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a secondradius that is smaller than the first radius are in contact with thefirst and second support elements and holding the first and secondsupport elements apart by the second distance corresponding to theprinting configuration.

Embodiment 14: The apparatus of Embodiment 12 or 13, wherein theexpander mechanism further comprises a spring extending between thefirst and the second support elements and configured to bias the firstand the second support elements into contact with the cam element.

Embodiment 15: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 12 to 14, whereineach of the first and second support elements further includes a rollerbearing mounted thereon, wherein the cam element contacts the rollerbearing of each of the first and second support elements.

Embodiment 16: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 12 to 15, furthercomprising a drive mechanism comprising:

a pulley wheel coaxially mounted to the driven shaft;

a motor having an output shaft and a drive wheel; and

a drive belt coupling the drive wheel to the pulley wheel.

Embodiment 17: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 12 to 16, whereinthe expander mechanism further comprises a rotational position sensorconfigured to detect a rotational position of the driven shaft and camelement.

Embodiment 18: The apparatus of Embodiment 17, wherein the rotationalposition sensor comprises:

an index wheel coaxially coupled to the driven shaft and having one ormore detectable features formed therein or attached thereto at specifiedrotational positions; and

an optical sensor configured to detect the one or more detectablefeatures as the driven shaft and the index wheel rotate with respect tothe optical sensor.

Embodiment 19: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 12 to 18, furthercomprising a hand wheel mounted to the driven shaft and configured toenable manual rotation of the driven shaft and the cam element.

Embodiment 20: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 4 to 19, whereinthe second support element comprises a print head platen on which theprint head is mounted.

Embodiment 21: The apparatus of Embodiment 20, wherein the print headplaten is configured and mounted so that its position on the secondsupport element can be laterally adjusted.

Embodiment 22: The apparatus of Embodiment 21, further comprising aplaten shaft mounted to the second support element, wherein the platenshaft extends through a portion of the print head platen, so as topermit lateral movement of the print head platen along the platen shaft.

Embodiment 23: The apparatus of Embodiment 22, further comprising aplaten adjustment lever pivotably mounted to the second support elementand including a contact point in contact with a portion of the printhead platen and configured such that pivoting movement the platenadjustment lever effects lateral movement of the print head platen alongthe platen shaft.

Embodiment 24: The apparatus of Embodiment 23, wherein the platenadjustment lever includes a protuberance that is configured to beinserted into one of a plurality of holes formed in the second supportelement to secure the platen adjustment lever at a selected rotationalposition.

Embodiment 25: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 1 to 24, furthercomprising a timing mark sensor configured to detect a timing mark onthe curved surface.

Embodiment 26: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 1 to 25, whereinthe article moving assembly comprises:

-   -   carousel configured for powered rotation; and    -   moveable gripper elements configured to be movable between a        release position permitting an article to be placed within or        removed from the apparatus and a gripping position for securing        the article with respect to the carousel so that the article        rotates with the carousel.

Embodiment 27: The apparatus of Embodiment 26, wherein each gripperelement comprises a gripper assembly that is coupled to the carousel andis configured so that rotation of the carousel in a first directioncauses all the gripper assemblies to move radially inwardly to thegripping position with respect to an article placed between the gripperassemblies and rotation of the carousel in a second direction oppositethe first direction causes all the gripper assemblies to move radiallyoutwardly to the release position with respect to the article.

Embodiment 28: The apparatus of Embodiment 27, comprising three gripperassemblies.

Embodiment 29: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 26-28, whereinthe carousel comprises:

-   -   an upper disc; and    -   a lower disc, coaxially arranged with the upper disc, the upper        and lower discs being rotatable relative to one another.

Embodiment 30: The apparatus of Embodiment 29, wherein each gripperelement comprises a pivoting gripper assembly comprising:

-   -   a pivot arm disposed between the upper disc and the lower disc        of the carousel and pivotably attached to the upper disc;    -   a knurled wheel rotatably mounted above the upper disc on a        shaft extending from the pivot arm through the upper disc; and    -   a guide pin extending from the pivot arm into an associated        guide slot formed in the lower disc.

Embodiment 31: The apparatus of Embodiment 30, wherein a first end ofeach guide slot formed in the lower disc is closer to a radial center ofthe lower disc than a second end of the guide slot.

Embodiment 32: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 26 to 31, whereinthe article moving assembly further comprises a drive mechanismcomprising:

a motor having an output shaft and a drive wheel; and

a drive belt coupling the drive wheel to the carousel.

Embodiment 33: The apparatus of Embodiment 32, wherein the carouselincludes peripheral gear teeth for engagement by the drive belt.

Embodiment 34: The apparatus of any one of Embodiments 1 to 33, whereinthe print head comprises a thermal print head.

Embodiment 35: A method for printing on a curved surface of an articlewith a printing module configured to receive an article having a curvedsurface, secure the article so that the curved surface is in anoperative position with respect to a print head of the printing module,effect relative movement between the curved surface and the print headwhile the print head is activated and while maintaining the curvedsurface in the operative position with respect to the print head,thereby printing information onto the curved surface, and then releasethe article so that it may be removed from the printing module, themethod comprising:

-   -   confirming that the printing module is in an open configuration        for enabling the article having a curved surface to be placed        within the module;    -   inserting the article into the printing module;    -   moving the curved surface with respect to the print head;    -   detecting a timing mark on the curved surface;    -   configuring the printing module into a printing configuration        whereby the curved surface of the article placed within the        printing module is in an operative position with respect to the        print head of the printing module;

activating the print head;

-   -   imparting an image onto the curved surface by moving the curved        surface with respect to the print head while the print head is        activated and maintaining the curved surface in the operative        position with respect to the print head for a specified amount        of relative movement;    -   after imparting the image onto the curved surface, deactivating        the print head and terminating relative movement between the        curved surface and the print head;    -   configuring the printing module into the open configuration        whereby the article can be removed from the printing module; and    -   removing the article from the printing module.

Embodiment 36: The method of Embodiment 35, wherein the timing mark isdetected with a timing mark sensor configured to detect a change in thereflectivity of a portion of the curved surface.

Embodiment 37: The method of Embodiment 36, wherein the timing marksensor generates a waveform based on the reflectivity of a portion ofthe curved surface, and wherein the timing mark is detected by detectinga change in the waveform the exceeds a predefined threshold.

Embodiment 38: The method of any one of Embodiments 35 to 37, furthercomprising the step of imparting a timing mark modifier onto the curvedsurface to indicate that the article has been printed on.

Embodiment 39: The method of any one of Embodiments 35 to 38, furthercomprising the step of, after detecting the timing mark, determining oneor more dimensions of the timing mark and comparing the determined oneor more dimensions of the timing mark to at least one predeterminedthreshold dimension.

Embodiment 40: The method of any one of Embodiments 35 to 39, furthercomprising the step of, after configuring the printing module into theopen configuration, determining whether each determined dimension of theimage is within a predefined range of an expected dimension of theimage.

Embodiment 41: A method for printing on a curved surface of an articlewith a printing module, the method comprising:

configuring the printing module in an open configuration to receive anarticle having a curved surface on which information is to be printed;

placing an article into the printing module;

configuring the printing module in a printing configuration and securingthe article so that the curved surface is in an operative position withrespect to a print head of the printing module;

activating the print head and effecting relative movement between thecurved surface and the print head while the print head is activated andwhile maintaining the curved surface in the operative position withrespect to the print head;

after printing an image onto the curved surface, configuring theprinting module into an open configuration enabling the article to beremoved from the printing module; and

removing the article from the printing module.

Embodiment 42: A system for processing a sample comprising:

-   -   a sample transfer apparatus configured to remove an amount of        sample material from a first container and dispense at least a        portion of the removed sample material in a second container;    -   a code reading device configured to read a first        machine-readable graphic code on a surface of the first        container, the first machine-readable graphic code having        encoded therein information relating to the sample material        contained in the first container;    -   a controller configured to generate a second machine-readable        graphic code having encoded therein information relating to the        information encoded in the first machine-readable graphic code;        and    -   a printing module configured and controlled to print the second        machine-readable graphic code on a curved surface of the second        container, the printing module comprising:

(A) an expandable printing mechanism including a print head andconfigured and controlled to be selectively:

(1) expanded to an open configuration for enabling the second containerto be received within or removed from the printing module, and

(2) contracted to a printing configuration placing the curved surface ofthe second container in an operative printing position with respect tothe print head and maintaining the curved surface in the operativeprinting position with respect to the print head during relativemovement of the curved surface with respect to the print head; and

(B) a moving assembly configured and controlled to:

(1) grasp the received second container and effect relative movementbetween the curved surface of the second container and the print headwhen the expandable printing mechanism is in the printing configuration,and

(2) release the article when the expandable printing mechanism is in theopen configuration, thereby allowing the article to be removed from theprinting module.

Embodiment 43: The system of Embodiment 42, wherein the sample transferapparatus comprises a pipettor carried on a robotic arm.

Embodiment 44: The system of Embodiment 42 or 43, further comprising apick-and-place mechanism configured and controlled to selectively moveeither or both of the first and second containers from a first locationwithin the system to a second location within the system.

Embodiment 45: The system of Embodiment 44, wherein the pick-and-placemechanism comprises a container gripper carried on a robotic arm.

Embodiment 46: The system of any one of Embodiments 42 to 45, whereinthe printing module further comprises a housing at least partiallyenclosing the expandable printing mechanism and the moving assembly.

Embodiment 47: The system of Embodiment 46, further including an openingformed in the housing through which the second container can be movedinto or out of the housing of the printing module.

Embodiment 48: The system of any one of Embodiments 42 to 47, whereinthe expandable printing mechanism comprises:

-   -   a first support element having one or more contact element(s)        operatively supported thereon; and    -   a second support element supporting the print head thereon,

wherein the first support element and the second support element areconfigured for relative movement with respect to each other between theopen configuration of the expandable printing mechanism and the printingconfiguration of the expandable printing mechanism, and wherein thecontact element(s) are configured to contact the second containerreceived within the printing module to hold the curved surface in theoperative position with respect to the print head when the expandableprinting mechanism is in the printing configuration.

Embodiment 49: The system of Embodiment 48, wherein the expandableprinting mechanism further comprises an expander mechanism configured toeffect relative movement of the first and second support elementsbetween the open configuration and the printing configuration.

Embodiment 50: The system of Embodiment 48 or 49, wherein the one ormore contact elements comprise a first roller and a second rollerrotatably mounted to the first support element.

Embodiment 51: The system of Embodiment 50, wherein

the first roller is axially elongated, and

the second roller comprises, extending axially along the length of theroller, a first head portion that is of a first diameter, an extensionportion that is of a second diameter that is less than the firstdiameter, and a second head portion that is of a third diameter that isgreater than the second diameter.

Embodiment 52: The system of Embodiment 51, wherein the third diameteris equal to the first diameter.

Embodiment 53: The system of any one of Embodiments 50 to 52, whereinthe first roller is cylindrical.

Embodiment 54: The system of any one of Embodiments 50 to 52, whereinthe first roller has a varying diameter that increases from each axialend of the roller to the axial middle of the roller.

Embodiment 55: The system of any one of Embodiments 50 to 54, wherein

the first support element comprises a roller bracket having an upperflange, a lower flange, and a web extending between the upper and lowerflanges, and wherein the first roller and the second roller rotatablymounted between the first and second flanges;

the second support element comprises a print head bracket having anupper flange, a lower flange, and a web extending between the upper andlower flanges, the roller bracket and the print head bracket beingoriented such that the webs of the roller bracket and the print headbracket are generally parallel to one another; and

the roller bracket and the print head bracket are pivotably mounted to acommon pivot shaft so that the roller bracket and the print head bracketare pivotable with respect to each other in a hinge-wise fashion aboutthe pivot shaft between the open configuration and the printingconfiguration.

Embodiment 56: The system of any one of Embodiments 49 to 55, wherein:

-   -   the first and second support elements are pivotably mounted to a        common pivot shaft so that the first and second support elements        are pivotable with respect to each other in a hinge-wise fashion        about the pivot shaft between the open configuration and the        printing configuration, and wherein the expander mechanism        comprises:    -   a driven shaft located between the first and second support        elements, the driven shaft being generally parallel to the pivot        shaft; and    -   a cam element attached to and rotatable with the driven shaft        and in contact with both the first and second support elements,        wherein the cam element has a varying dimension so that in one        orientation of the cam element, portions of the cam element        contacting the first and second support elements hold the first        and second support elements apart by a first distance        corresponding to the open configuration of the expandable        printing mechanism and in another orientation of the cam        element, portions of the cam element contacting the first and        second support elements hold the first and second support        elements apart by a second distance corresponding to the        printing configuration of the expandable printing mechanism.

Embodiment 57: The system of Embodiment 56, wherein the cam elementcomprises a cam disc fixed to the driven shaft and coaxial therewith,the cam disc having a variable radius so that in a first rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a first radiusare in contact with the first and second support elements and holdingthe first and second support elements apart by the first distancecorresponding to the open configuration, and in a second rotationalposition of the cam disc, portions of the cam disc having a secondradius that is smaller than the first radius are in contact with thefirst and second support elements and holding the first and secondsupport elements apart by the second distance corresponding to theprinting configuration.

Embodiment 58: The system of Embodiment 56 or 57, wherein the expandermechanism further comprises a spring extending between the first andsecond support elements and configured to bias the first and secondsupport elements into contact with the cam element.

Embodiment 59: The system of any one of Embodiments 56 to 58, whereineach of the first and second support elements further includes a rollerbearing mounted thereon, wherein the cam element contacts the rollerbearing of each of the first and second support elements.

Embodiment 60: The system of any one of Embodiments 56 to 59, furthercomprising a drive mechanism comprising:

a pulley wheel coaxially mounted to the driven shaft;

a motor having an output shaft and a drive wheel; and

a drive belt coupling the drive wheel to the pulley wheel.

Embodiment 61: The system of any one of Embodiments 56 to 60, whereinthe expander mechanism further comprises a rotational position sensorconfigured to detect a rotational position of the driven shaft and camelement.

Embodiment 62: The system of Embodiment 61, wherein the rotationalposition sensor comprises:

an index wheel coaxially coupled to the driven shaft and having one ormore detectable features formed therein or attached thereto at specifiedrotational positions; and

an optical sensor configured to detect the one or more detectablefeatures as the driven shaft and the index wheel rotate with respect tothe optical sensor.

Embodiment 63: The system of any one of Embodiments 56 to 62, furthercomprising a hand wheel mounted to the driven shaft and configured toenable manual rotation of the driven shaft and the cam element.

Embodiment 64: The system of any one of Embodiments 48 to 63, whereinthe second support element comprises a print head platen on which theprint head is mounted.

Embodiment 65: The system of Embodiment 64, wherein the print headplaten is configured and mounted so that its position on the secondsupport element can be laterally adjusted.

Embodiment 66: The system of Embodiment 65, further comprising a platenshaft mounted to the second support element, wherein the platen shaftextends through a portion of the print head platen, so as to permitlateral movement of the print head platen along the platen shaft.

Embodiment 67: The system of Embodiment 66, further comprising a platenadjustment lever pivotably mounted to the second support element andincluding a contact point in contact with a portion of the print headplaten and configured such that pivoting movement the platen adjustmentlever effects lateral movement of the print head platen along the platenshaft.

Embodiment 68: The system of Embodiment 67, wherein the platenadjustment lever includes a protuberance that is configured to beinserted into one of a plurality of holes formed in the second supportelement to secure the platen adjustment lever at a selected rotationalposition.

Embodiment 69: The system of any one of Embodiments 42 to 68, furthercomprising a timing mark sensor configured to detect a timing mark onthe curved surface.

Embodiment 70: The system of any one of Embodiments 42 to 69, whereinthe moving assembly comprises:

-   -   a carousel configured for powered rotation; and    -   moveable gripper elements configured to be movable between a        release position permitting an article to be placed within or        removed from the printing module and a gripping position for        securing the second container with respect to the carousel so        that the article rotates with the carousel.

Embodiment 71: The system of Embodiment 70, wherein each gripper elementcomprises a gripper assembly that is coupled to the carousel and isconfigured so that rotation of the carousel in a first direction causesall the gripper assemblies to move radially inwardly to the grippingposition with respect to the second container placed between the gripperassemblies and rotation of the carousel in a second direction oppositethe first direction causes all the gripper assemblies to move radiallyoutwardly to the release position with respect to the second container.

Embodiment 72: The system of Embodiment 71, comprising three gripperassemblies.

Embodiment 73: The system of any one of Embodiments 70 to 72, whereinthe carousel comprises:

-   -   an upper disc; and    -   a lower disc, coaxially arranged with the upper disc, the upper        and lower discs being rotatable relative to one another.

Embodiment 74: The system of Embodiment 73, wherein each gripper elementcomprises a pivoting gripper assembly comprising:

-   -   a pivot arm disposed between the upper disc and the lower disc        of the carousel and pivotably attached to the upper disc;    -   a knurled wheel rotatably mounted above the upper disc on a        shaft extending from the pivot arm through the upper disc; and    -   a guide pin extending from the pivot arm into an associated        guide slot formed in the lower disc.

Embodiment 75: The system of Embodiment 74, wherein a first end of eachguide slot formed in the lower disc is closer to a radial center of thelower disc than a second end of the guide slot.

Embodiment 76: The system of any one of Embodiments 70 to 75, whereinthe moving assembly further comprises a drive mechanism comprising:

a motor having an output shaft and a drive wheel; and

a drive belt coupling the drive wheel to the carousel.

Embodiment 77: The system of Embodiment 76, wherein the carouselincludes peripheral gear teach for engagement by the drive belt.

Embodiment 78: The system of any one of Embodiments 42-77, wherein theprint head comprises a thermal print head.

Embodiment 79: A method for processing a sample material within a sampleprocessing system, the method comprising:

(a) with a code reading device, automatically reading firstmachine-readable indicia on a surface of a first sample containercontaining a volume of a sample material, wherein information relatingto the sample material contained in the first sample container isencoded in the first machine-readable indicia;

(b) automatically applying second machine-readable indicia on a curvedsurface of a second sample container,

wherein the second machine-readable indicia applied to the curvedsurface includes indicia relating to the first machine-readable indiciaread from the first sample container in step (a), and

wherein automatically applying the second machine-readable indicia onthe curved surface comprises printing the second machine-readableindicia directly onto the curved surface with a printing modulecomprising:

(i) a print head;

(ii) one or more contact elements configured to hold the second samplecontainer with respect to the print head so as to hold the curvedsurface in an operative position with respect to the print head; and

(iii) a moving assembly configured to hold the second sample containerand rotate the second sample container so as to move the curved surfacewith respect to the print head; and

(c) with an automated substance transfer device, automaticallytransferring an amount of sample material from the first samplecontainer to the second sample container.

Embodiment 80: The method of Embodiment 79, further comprising the stepof moving a second sample container from an input rack to the printingmodule with a robotic pick-and-place mechanism prior to step (b).

Embodiment 81: The method of Embodiment 79 or 80, further comprising thestep of moving a second sample container from the printing module to asample processing station with a robotic pick-and-place mechanism afterstep (b) and prior to step (c).

Embodiment 82: The method of Embodiment 81, further comprising the stepof moving the second sample container from the sample processing stationto an output rack with the robotic pick-and-place mechanism after step(c).

Embodiment 83: The method of any one of Embodiments 79 to 82, whereinthe first machine-readable indicia comprise a first barcode and thesecond machine readable indicia comprise a second barcode.

Embodiment 84: The method of Embodiment 83, wherein the first and secondbarcodes are at least partially identical.

Embodiment 85: The method of any one of Embodiments 79 to 84, whereinthe second sample container initially includes a blank label and thesecond machine readable indicia are printed onto the blank label.

Embodiment 86: The method of any one of Embodiments 79 to 85, whereinthe print head is a thermal print head and the curved surface comprisesthermally sensitive print media.

Embodiment 87: The method of any one of Embodiments 79 to 86, whereinthe information relating to the sample material comprisessample-identifying information.

Embodiment 88: The method of any one of Embodiments 79 to 87, whereinthe information relating to the sample material comprisessample-identifying information, and wherein the second machine-readableindicia applied onto the curved surface of the second sample containerare at least partially identical to the first machine-readable indiciaon the first sample container.

Embodiment 89: The method of Embodiment 88, wherein the secondmachine-readable indicia applied onto the curved surface of the secondsample container includes additional machine-readable indicia that aredifferent from the first machine-readable indicia on the first samplecontainer, wherein information relating to one or more of time, volume,sample type, reagents, test procedures, test results, and errors isencoded in the additional machine-readable indicia.

Embodiment 90: A method for controlling a printing process by which aprint head prints an image onto predetermined printable area of a label,the method comprising:

(a) effecting relative movement between a timing mark sensor and thelabel;

(b) during step (a), detecting a position of a timing mark on with atiming mark sensor;

(c) after step (b), effecting relative movement between the print headand the label to position the print head at an image position at aspecified distance from the position of the timing mark detected in step(b);

(d) activating the print head; and

(e) during step (d) effecting relative movement between the print headand the label for a specified image distance to print the image onto theprintable area.

Embodiment 91: The method of Embodiment 90, wherein the image comprisesa barcode.

Embodiment 92: The method of Embodiment 90 or 91, wherein the label isdisposed on a curved surface of an article, and wherein effectingrelative movement between the label and the timing mark sensor andbetween the label and the print head comprises rotating the article withrespect to the timing mark sensor and the print head.

Embodiment 93: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 92, whereinthe timing mark sensor is configured to detect reflectivity of a surfacepassing before the timing mark sensor, and step (b) comprises detectingthe reflectivity of portions of the label passing by the timing marksensor, wherein the reflectivity of the timing mark is different fromthe reflectivity of the remaining portions of the label passing by thetiming mark sensor.

Embodiment 94: The method of any one of Embodiments 90-93, furthercomprising detecting the presence of the label before performing step(a).

Embodiment 95: The method of Embodiment 94, wherein the presence of thelabel is detected by the timing mark sensor based on a change inreflectivity due to the presence of the label that exceeds apredetermined print-surface-present threshold.

Embodiment 96: The method of Embodiment 93, further comprisinggenerating a waveform from the output of the timing mark sensor based onthe reflectivity of the portion of the label passing by the timing marksensor, and wherein the timing mark is sensed by detecting a change inthe waveform that exceeds a predefined timing mark threshold.

Embodiment 97: The method of Embodiment 96, further comprising detectinga first edge of the timing mark based on the change in the waveformfalling below a negative timing mark threshold, and detecting a secondedge of the timing mark based on the change in the waveform rising abovea positive timing mark threshold.

Embodiment 98: The method of Embodiment 96 or 97, wherein the waveformcomprises a plurality of data points sequentially-recorded from theoutput of the timing mark sensor and detecting a change in the waveformcomprises comparing a first waveform value for a current data point witha second waveform value for a data point recorded at a predefined periodearlier than the current data point to determine if the first waveformvalue varies from the second waveform value by more than the predefinedtiming mark threshold.

Embodiment 99: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 98, furthercomprising the step of printing a timing mark modifier that isdetectable by the timing mark sensor onto the label to indicate that thelabel has been printed on.

Embodiment 100: The method of Embodiment 99, wherein printing the timingmark modifier comprises printing an image that alters the timing mark ina manner that is detectable by the timing mark sensor.

Embodiment 101: The method of Embodiment 99, wherein printing the timingmark modifier comprises printing an additional, mark distinct from thetiming mark.

Embodiment 102: The method of any one of Embodiments 99 to 101, whereinstep (c) comprises effecting relative movement between the print headand the label for a first predefined distance to place the print head ata print start position over the timing mark, and wherein printing thetiming mark modifier comprises activating the print head and effecting arelative movement between the print head and the label.

Embodiment 103: The method of Embodiment 102, wherein printing thetiming mark modifier comprises:

activating the print head and effecting a relative movement between theprint head and the label for a first period;

terminating the first period when the timing mark is detected with thetiming mark sensor; and

activating the print head and effecting a relative movement between theprint head and the label for a second period defined by a specifiedamount of relative movement between the print head and the label.

Embodiment 104: The method of Embodiment 102 or 103, wherein step (c)further comprises effecting relative movement between the print head andthe label for a third predefined distance without the print headactivated to create a print gap following the timing mark modifier,wherein after relative movement for the third predefined distance, theprint head is at the printable area.

Embodiment 105: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 104, whereinstep (b) comprises locating a leading edge and a trailing edge of thetiming mark relative to the direction of relative movement between thetiming mark sensor and the label; and step (c) comprises effectingrelative movement between the print head and the label to position theprint head at the image position at the specified distance from theposition of the trailing edge of the timing mark.

Embodiment 106: The method of any one of Embodiments 93 to 105, furthercomprising the step of calibrating the luminance of the timing marksensor by:

-   -   setting the luminance of the timing mark sensor to a first level        that will cause the output of the timing mark sensor to exceed        an upper output limit; and    -   periodically changing the luminance of the timing mark sensor        while effecting relative movement between the timing mark sensor        and the label until the output of the timing mark sensor is        between a lower output limit and the upper output limit        throughout movement of the sensor relative to the entire label.

Embodiment 107: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 106, furthercomprising the step of determining the length of the timing mark andcomparing the determined length of the timing mark to an expected lengthof the timing mark.

Embodiment 108: The method of Embodiment 107, further comprisingcompleting steps (c) to (e) only if the length of the timing mark iswithin a predetermined range of the expected length of the timing mark.

Embodiment 109: The method of Embodiment 97, further comprising the stepof determining the length of the timing mark and comparing thedetermined length of the timing mark to an expected length, whereindetermining the length of the timing mark comprises:

computing a first point on the waveform where the change in the waveformfalls below the negative timing mark threshold;

computing a second point on the waveform where the change in thewaveform rises above the negative timing mark threshold;

computing a third point on the waveform where the change in the waveformrises above the positive timing mark threshold;

computing a fourth point on the waveform where the change in thewaveform falls below the positive timing mark threshold; and

computing the length of the timing mark as the amount of relativemovement between the timing mark sensor and the label between a pointbisecting the first and second points and a point bisecting the thirdand fourth points.

Embodiment 110: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 109, furthercomprising:

(f) after step (e), effecting relative movement between the timing marksensor and the label;

(g) during step (f), with the timing mark sensor, detecting a positionof the timing mark on the label;

(h) determining the amount of relative movement between the timing marksensor and the label when the timing mark is detected in step (g); and

(i) comparing the amount of relative movement detected in step (h) withan expected distance between an end of the image printed in step (e) andthe timing mark.

Embodiment 111: The method of any one of Embodiments 93 to 110, whereinthe timing mark is darker than its surroundings so that reflectivity ofthe timing mark is less than the reflectivity of its surroundings.

Embodiment 112: The method of any one of Embodiments 93 to 110, whereinthe timing mark is lighter than its surroundings so that reflectivity ofthe timing mark is greater than the reflectivity of its surroundings.

Embodiment 113: The method of Embodiment 99 or 100, wherein printing atiming mark modifier comprises printing an extension to increase thelength of the timing mark.

Embodiment 114: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 98, whereinthe timing mark comprises a cut-out in the label.

Embodiment 115: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 98, whereinthe timing mark comprises one or more encoder ticks of a series ofencoder ticks.

Embodiment 116: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 92, whereinthe timing mark comprises a physical feature formed on a surface of anarticle to which the label is affixed.

Embodiment 117: The method of any one of Embodiments 90 to 99, whereinthe timing mark comprises a 1-D or 2-D barcode.

Embodiment 118: The method of Embodiment 99, wherein the timing markcomprises a 1-D or 2-D barcode, and wherein printing the timing markmodifier comprises printing a 1-D or 2-D barcode.

Embodiment 119: The method Embodiment 117, wherein the timing markcomprises a 2-D barcode, and detecting a position of the timing markcomprises identifying with a 2-D barcode reader a position of a knowncoordinate within the 2D barcode.

Embodiment 120: The method of Embodiment 117, wherein the timing markcomprises a 1-D barcode, and detecting a position of the timing markcomprises identifying a leading edge of the 1D barcode as the firstlocation at which a 1-D barcode reader can read the 1-D barcode.

Embodiment 121: A method for controlling a printing process by which aprint head prints an image onto a label affixed to a tube positionedadjacent to the print head and adjacent to a sensor configured to detectoptical and/or physical features of the label, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting a command to the sensor to detect the presence of thelabel affixed to the tube, wherein the sensor either:

(1) fails to generate a signal indicating the presence of the label, or

(2) generates a signal indicating the presence of the label;

(b) if the sensor generates a signal indicating the presence of thelabel in step (a), then transmitting a command to the sensor to detect aposition of a timing mark on the label, wherein the sensor fails togenerate a signal indicating the position of a timing mark on the label;and

(c) if the sensor fails to generate a signal indicating the presence ofthe label in step (a) or the sensor fails to generate a signalindicating the position of a timing mark on the label in step (b), thenselectively activating the print head while effecting relative movementbetween the print head and the label to print multiple alternate imagesat multiple positions on the label.

Embodiment 122: A method for controlling a printing process by which aprint head prints an image onto a label affixed to a tube positionedadjacent to the print head and adjacent to a sensor configured to detectoptical and/or physical features of the label, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting a command to the sensor to detect the presence of thelabel affixed to the tube, wherein the sensor fails to generate a signalindicating the presence of the label; and

(b) after step (a), selectively activating the print head whileeffecting relative movement between the print head and the label toprint multiple alternate images at multiple positions on the label.

Embodiment 123: A method for controlling a printing process by which aprint head prints an image onto a label affixed to a tube positionedadjacent to the print head and adjacent to a sensor configured to detectoptical and/or physical features of the label, the method comprising:

(a) detecting the presence of the label affixed to the tube with thesensor;

(b) after step (a), transmitting a command to the sensor to detect aposition of a timing mark on the label, wherein the sensor fails togenerate a signal indicating the position of a timing mark on the label;and

(c) after step (b), selectively activating the print head whileeffecting relative movement between the print head and the label toprint multiple alternate images at multiple positions on the label.

While the subject matter of the present disclosure has been describedand shown in considerable detail with reference to certain illustrativeembodiments, including various combinations and sub-combinations offeatures, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate otherembodiments and variations and modifications thereof as encompassedwithin the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, the descriptions of suchembodiments, combinations, and sub-combinations is not intended toconvey that the subject matter requires features or combinations offeatures other than those expressly recited in the claims. Accordingly,the subject matter is intended to include all modifications andvariations encompassed within the scope of the following appendedclaims.

1. A method for controlling a printing process by which a print headprints an image onto predetermined printable area of a label, the methodcomprising: (a) effecting relative movement between a timing mark sensorand the label; (b) during step (a), detecting a position of a timingmark with the timing mark sensor by locating a leading edge and atrailing edge of the timing mark relative to the direction of relativemovement between the timing mark sensor and the label; (c) after step(b), effecting relative movement between the print head and the label toposition the print head at an image position at a specified distancefrom the position of the trailing edge of the timing mark located instep (b); (d) activating the print head; and (e) during step (d)effecting relative movement between the print head and the label for aspecified image distance to print the image onto the printable area. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a barcode.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the label is disposed on a curved surface ofan article, and wherein effecting relative movement between the labeland the timing mark sensor and between the label and the print headcomprises rotating the article with respect to the timing mark sensorand the print head.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing markcomprises a cut-out in the label.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thetiming mark comprises one or more encoder ticks of a series of encoderticks.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing mark comprises aphysical feature formed on a surface of an article to which the label isaffixed.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing mark comprises a1-D or 2-D barcode.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the timing markcomprises a 2-D barcode or a 1-D barcode, and detecting a position ofthe timing mark comprises identifying with a 2-D barcode reader aposition of a known coordinate within the 2-D barcode or within the 1-Dbarcode.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the timing mark comprises a1-D barcode, and detecting a position of the timing mark comprisesidentifying a leading edge of the 1D barcode as the first location atwhich a 1-D barcode reader can read the 1-D barcode.
 10. A method forcontrolling a printing process by which a print head prints an imageonto predetermined printable area of a label, the method comprising: (a)effecting relative movement between a timing mark sensor and the label;(b) during step (a), detecting a position of a timing mark with thetiming mark sensor; (c) determining the length of the timing mark andcomparing the determined length of the timing mark to an expected lengthof the timing mark; (d) after step (b), effecting relative movementbetween the print head and the label to position the print head at animage position at a specified distance from the position of the timingmark detected in step (b); (e) activating the print head; and (f) duringstep (e) effecting relative movement between the print head and thelabel for a specified image distance to print the image onto theprintable area.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the image comprisesa barcode.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the label is disposed ona curved surface of an article, and wherein effecting relative movementbetween the label and the timing mark sensor and between the label andthe print head comprises rotating the article with respect to the timingmark sensor and the print head.
 13. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising detecting the presence of the label before performing step(a).
 14. The method of claim 10, further comprising completing steps (d)to (f) only if the length of the timing mark is within a predeterminedrange of the expected length of the timing mark.
 15. The method of claim10, wherein the timing mark comprises a cut-out in the label.
 16. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the timing mark comprises one or moreencoder ticks of a series of encoder ticks.
 17. The method of claim 10,wherein the timing mark comprises a physical feature formed on a surfaceof an article to which the label is affixed.